# Just give them the money (the argument for basic income)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-give-them-the-money-the-argument-for-basic-income/714704>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [March 10, 2015, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-give-them-the-money-the-argument-for-basic-income/714704 "2015-03-10T16:59:10Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 205

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**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\
**Post date:** [February 23, 2016, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-give-them-the-money-the-argument-for-basic-income/714704/205 "2016-02-23T04:11:05Z")

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> [@Mithrander](#):
>
> Do you really thing adding a smiley face to a joke about the mass murder of poor people makes it funny, or are you just a sociopathic asshole?

Why can’t it be both?

Also reported for hurting my feelings.

> [@Mithrander](#):
>
> Eek, socialism! Oh wait, I’m Canadian, and I don’t think that’s a bad word.

What…socialism or Canadian?  
Maybe we should use a different term. I don’t equate socialized services like health care or education with massive wealth redistribution for the sake of making people feel warm and fuzzy. Many economists don’t feel that every good or service should be subject to the free market (do you want to have to negotiate with the firemen when your house is on fire). I’m not familiar with too many legitimate economists who believe in basic income.

> [@Mithrander](#):
>
> Already cited that the disincentives to work are minor at worst, which you have ignored three times now.

More of a hand-wave based on wishful thinking than a legitimate cite.

> [@Mithrander](#):
>
> If you actually can articulate an economic theory on why the basic income method is fundamentally flawed, I’d be interested to hear it. However, it appears to me like you’re just appealing to authority and claiming I’m wrong “because Economics.”

How about like “all of them”? I’m not inclined to provide a basic introduction to Econ 101 supply and demand. Besides, I’ve already given you a number of examples and shown you how the math doesn’t work. What more do you want? A 30 page doctoral thesis?

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