None of the tech industry's elite has given this more thought than Facebook Co-Founder Chris Hughes, who just published a new book on the topic, Fair Shot. Fair Shot is easily the most comprehensive and practical document on basic income I've read; if you're interested in basic Income, it's a fantastic resource on the history, research, and logistics of direct cash transfers as a way to solve modern economic problems. But, what I think really distinguishes Hughes' book from the voluminous literature already written on basic income is what I interpreted as his core argument: basic income is about freedom. And, if we stop here, Hughes sounds just like many other advocates of basic Income: automation has caused economic uncertainty and we need direct cash welfare to protect Americans from it getting worse. His answer on a jobs program vs. a basic income is really what distinguishes his argument.

Source: Forbes February 20, 2018 17:26 UTC