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The Social Dividend

The Beneficial Effects of the Social Dividend

53. How would the Social Dividend benefit society? Would you pocket the money and leave your job
Our entire economic and social life would be im- for one month? Would you be envious that each of
proved. The migration of rural folk to the cities, where your neighbours also received the same amount of
they live in chicken coops and breathe polluted air, money? Or would you call the Canadian government
would end. Huge factories, where thousands of work- immoral because the poor would be relieved of their
ers must leave their personalities at the door, would misery rather than have products wasted?
soon be empty. Competent Would you not instead
people who are now sub- thank God for a well-organ-
jected to inept rule because ized and well-administered
of the amount of money in country that was rich in nat-
the bank accounts of the rul- ural resources? Would you
ers, would have their chains not become even more at-
of bondage loosened. tached to your nation and
Each person could strive to contribute to its
become an entrepreneur prosperity? Would you not
or join others who have work even more industri-
skills to conduct a profit- ously, like the person who
able business. The primary has received a wage in-
goal would be providing crease, because you recog-
the community with good nize that the very existence
products. Personal entre- of a Dividend depends on
preneurship, responsibil- the continuing develop-
ity and excellent service to ment of production?
others are cruelly lacking in A Social Dividend will be provided The positive effects of
today’s world where minds to each member of a family, the Dividend would impact
and skills are muzzled by from the cradle to the grave. others as well. Too many
the dominance of money. who regard a Dividend
54. How would the poor benefit from having a So- negatively are either hypocritical or proud. They
cial Dividend? think it would be a good thing for themselves but that
There are people who own nothing, despite to- others lack the virtue to use a Dividend wisely.
day’s abundant production, because the distribution 56. What would the Dividend do for the family?
system treats them as if they had no right to their A Dividend would be issued to you, your wife
country’s wealth. They are treated as if they are legit- and each of your children. Would it sow consterna-
imately without an inheritance. tion or discord in your family? Would you not, on the
Limiting the access to goods and services to contrary, consider improving the living conditions in
those who are paid workers is akin to allowing wages your home?
and profits to absorb the Social Dividends which You would be able to consider giving your chil-
rightly belongs to heirs of the system. dren a better education, or otherwise develop their
The fact that some of the inheritance is distribut- talents. You might make improvements to your
ed through taxation to the disinherited does not give home, making life more comfortable. You would be
them back their inherited rights; they remain disin- able to increase your donations to charities, because
herited. The Social Dividend offers dignity, not mere a better life did not make you any less of a Christian.
aid, to the disinherited. You would be able to subscribe to educational and
55. What impact will the Dividend have on the indi- recreational magazines.
vidual? Much has been said about the family wage. A
What impact would it have if you received an married man, who is the father of many children,
needs a larger income than a bachelor. Since both
envelope from Ottawa containing a cheque with this men contribute the same amount of work, they can-
message: “The nation is happy to offer you this Divi- not demand different wages from their employer. If
dend which was also sent to each of the country's they could, the employer would only hire single men
citizens, to facilitate the acquisition of an abundant and men with small families. The Dividend solves this
production, in order to avoid unemployment, misery problem, since each individual would profit from the
and the paralysis of Industry.” Dividend equally. The head of a family would earn u

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