Page 39 - michael-journal-2019-may

The Social Dividend

u Society proclaims the right to life, but has no legis- ment of other citizens since subsidies are financed
lation enabling and enforcing this right. through taxation. Social Dividends, however, treat the
Civil societies do not appear concerned with the lowest ranking citizen regally.
well-being of each of their members. Even in countries The basis of the Social Dividend is applied science
where goods are plentiful, the allocation of money is and progress placed at the service of each individual.
not adjusted to the level necessary to satisfy human The rationale is progress: the huge actual and poten-
needs. Money is strictly used to gain financial profit. tial production of a nation. Dividends will be issued in
This shows contempt for the human person and a the form of money.
departure from the plan of God who is the Creator of Under Social Credit there would be no financial
all forms of wealth. Goods are intended for all men. problem where there existed no problem of produc-
48. How will societies guarantee this “vital min- tion. There is no secret. Social Credit ensures that
imum”? money reflect production rather than limit production.
Some radical changes will have to be made: not Today’s monetary system is used mainly to drive
to the way we make goods, nor to the ownership of individuals and governments into debt.
the means of production, but rather to the financial 52. Could Social Dividends be the “vital min-
system. imum” that would guarantee an individual’s freedom
Douglas developed proposals that offer a mode and dignity?
of distribution that would place money at the service Yes! This is where we can address the outstand-
of physical realities. The implementation of these pro- ing fact that the Social Dividend guarantees social se-
posals, known as Social Credit, would guarantee that curity. The Social Dividend is the only form of social
all individuals receive their share of the huge amount security that does not humiliate or impede. Accessing
of modern production in a stable and sustainable way. bread, with no condition other than that bread exists,
Human beings would be recognized and treated would free people. The first fruit of progress should
as more important than money. The primacy of the hu- be the guarantee that necessities are taken care of and
man person would be recognized; a primacy claimed that economic security for today and tomorrow is en-
in principle, but that no government has thus far pro- sured.
tected in legislation. A Social Dividend, to each and every person from
49. Are wage subsidies a more efficient means birth until death, would provide mankind with the
than Social Dividends of securing income? beautiful fruit that is derived from progress.
Governments often grant or refuse to grant sub-
sidies according to political factors. They set condi-
tions and restrictions. Subsidy politics creates recipi-
ents that have their hands tied and who are made to
feel obligated to government.
Social Dividend policy does the opposite. It ren-
ders people free. By having money to pay for goods
and services we need not turn to the government for
aid. Free people can pay for their institutions and can,
in turn, attain their personal goals.
50. How do you respond to people who say that
Social Dividends will lead to inflation?
The same people who raise this false alarm do not
worry that government subsidies will be inflationary. If
resources and workers are available to establish sub- Industrialist Henry Ford II once invited Wal-
sidies why would they not be available to answer the ter Reuther, then president of the Auto Workers
need for Social Dividends? Union, to see the first automated robots in his
51. Do you see a difference between subsidies factory. Ford praised their efficiency and said
and Social Dividends? that it would be easy to replace workers in auto-
mobile production. Reuther wisely commented:
The results are quite different. Subsidies create “How many of these robots will buy a car?” If
recipients who have moral debts; the Social Dividend money is not distributed directly to consum-
leaves citizens free. Subsidies turn governments into ers, who will buy the production that is made
guardians while Social Dividends make governments by machinery? If machinery replaces salaried
the servants of the people.
workers, people will need a Dividend to replace
The politics of subsidies opens the door to fa- their lost income.
vouring the “friends” of the government to the detri-

42 MICHAEL May/June/July 2019 www.michaeljournal.org