How Karl Marx Would View Universal Basic Income as a Solution to Technological Unemployment

Introduction

In the present era, technological unemployment is a pressing issue that has garnered significant attention. Advocates of universal basic income (UBI) propose it as a solution. However, would Karl Marx, the revered economist and philosopher, view UBI favorably? Let's explore Marx's perspective on this modern proposal.

Marx's Perspective on Technological Unemployment

Marx would certainly be pleased that technological unemployment has come to light. He always believed that unemployment was glorified by those who profited from welfare systems, often leading to the neglect of labor-intensive industries. In Marx's view, millions of jobs are left unused precisely because of welfare collection, rather than productive labor.

Marx's Economic Analysis and Universal Basic Income

From a Marxist standpoint, the need to address technological unemployment arises from the contradiction in capitalist systems. Marx predicted that labor scarcity would be exacerbated over time, leading to increased exploitation and the necessity for wages to rise to counter this trend. In contemporary capitalism, to ensure the survival of labor-intensive industries, corporations must redistribute their profits to others still grappling with excess labor. This redistribution is crucial for the functioning of today's capitalist economy.

Marx would likely declare that the current state of capitalism, combined with the implementation of UBI, marks a significant collapse of traditional capitalist structures. He might argue that this shift is towards a form of socialized capitalism, albeit one prioritizing corporate profits rather than the people's well-being. Marx’s vision of socialism emphasized the elimination of private property and the means of production controlled by workers, forming a classless society. In contrast, UBI represents a system where those who work subsidize those who do not. Marx would find this framework fundamentally flawed unless compelled to acknowledge the impracticality of his idealized socialist state.

UBI as a Liberal Invention

A number of critics argue that UBI is a liberal concept intended to appease the masses with a band-aid solution. Marx would most likely view UBI as a distraction from achieving true societal harmony in the final stages of communism. Marx believed that the ultimate goal of communism was the abolition of classes and the establishment of a classless society where each individual contributes according to their abilities and receives according to their needs.

Much of the misunderstanding about Marx lies in the idea that the moderate left is the driving force behind his ideology. In reality, it is the moderate left that proposes reforms to maintain the status quo, thereby preventing the radical changes Marx advocated. The true path towards Marxism, according to this viewpoint, could be non-existent due to internal divisions and political obstructionism. As such, the US embracing Marxism may not come from a genuine shift in ideology but rather from political maneuvers and resistance to progressive reforms.