tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3881762807913180318.post311374366821259984..comments2024-01-23T16:53:02.428+00:00Comments on Mark Thompson: Is the number of jobs the right measure?Mark Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00744387583593537268noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3881762807913180318.post-44510014486466338752012-11-05T21:22:05.742+00:002012-11-05T21:22:05.742+00:00I am in agreement with your stance, and I recall t...I am in agreement with your stance, and I recall this in a similar vein:<br /><br />http://stumblingandmumbling.typepad.com/stumbling_and_mumbling/2012/10/in-defence-of-idleness.html<br /><br />As I say, I work hard and my job benefits me in that it pays the bills. But it's fairly difficult to discern what use it actually is to the world at large. I achieve much more in my voluntary work than in employment.<br /><br />We are led once more to a basic income. I appreciate the practical difficulties, and the stumblings the universal credit has had on its way out, but it seems to me that the way forward is to iron out problems with universal credit (such as the monthly payments and the idea that most claims will be fired online- and I know the DWP deliberately make it very hard for people to get through on the phone in a bid to force them online, which is going to end badly for people who can't fill out forms well).<br /><br />I also advocate a much more liberal approach to people setting up microbusinesses and generally doing things for themselves, which means far less means testing.<br /><br />And at the same time, I would not be so hard on people who for one reason or the next don't have regular paid employment. It is in fact a good thing if we can meet our basic needs without working as hard as our grandfathers, isn't it? With a basic income, and without undue persecution of unemployed and disabled people, most people wouldn't sit round watching Jeremy Kyle but would go and earn more or otherwise fill their days doing something useful.<br /><br />(sorry if this is a bit disjointed- not feeling particularly good tonight). asquithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14246701347539264295noreply@blogger.com