Page 6 - A Social Dividend: An Income Guaranteed to Each Citizen
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u owned assets. They belong to the entire popu- monly-owned capital. When individuals form a
lation and to each man, woman and child. No society, they do so to improve their living con-
one can say: “I am the one who feeds the water- ditions, to make things easier, faster and with
falls by evaporating the seawater and turning it less individual effort; things they believe useful
into rain”. Natural resources are God’s gift to and necessary.
all. The fact alone that people live in society
6. Is the Social Dividend based on the com- means that production is increased. Life in so-
mon ownership of natural resources? ciety results in a productive asset and is an-
Yes! To which we other example of a real
must add that sci- capital that belongs to
ence and technological everyone.
progress comprise a 10. Can you explain
“cultural heritage”; a the difference be-
heritage passed down tween individual
from earlier genera- production and
tions. group production?
7. What is the cultural Yes. Let us look at
heritage? both types of produc-
It is the sum of know- tion. First, consider the
ledge that was acquired lonely life of Robinson
and passed down from Crusoe. He tilled a plot
one generation to the of soil with his bare
next. It is the know-how hands and sowed a few
that was increased over Science and progress are the greatest seeds. He made dishes
the centuries. It is the factors in modern production. out of clay and domes-
fruit of the social order ticated wild goats. His
we inhabit and the division of labour. All of this efforts were intended for his use and were
makes up a huge capital at the service of those made by him alone. Survival was his goal.
who are now alive. Let us now look at production within an or-
8. Do citizens have rights to this cultural ganized society. Industrialized nations benefit
heritage? from collective energy sources and collective
Of course! This capital does not belong to means of transportation. Modern production
one person in particular. It is a huge common methods feature specialization and benefit
from the division of labour. Production is made
heritage and its heirs are the population alive
today. by the many for the many.
People who work deserve to be rewarded 11. What would happen if life in society came
and no one would consider taking away the re- to a halt?
ward for work done. But the rightful owners of Let us imagine that life in society came to
the cultural heritage, that is each member of an end. Each person would go his own way;
society, is and remains rightfully entitled to this there would no longer be conversation and no
legacy. more buying or selling of goods.
Thanks to the application of science and Each individual would make his own food,
progress, fewer raw materials and less labour clothes, shelter and tools. There would be no
are required for an improved and increased more schools, books, no more social relation-
production. Is it not fair that all heirs should get ships, no more roads and no more bridges.
their share of the resulting bounty of products? No matter how hard individuals worked in this
9. Are there other factors that make up this scenario their total output would be much less
than ensues from the enhanced benefits of as-
commonly-owned capital? sociation afforded by an organized society.
Yes, life in society contributes to the com-
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