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Give People Money
Give People Money: How a Universal Basic Income Would End Poverty, Revolutionize Work, and Remake the World | Annie Lowrey
A brilliantly reported, global look at universal basic incomea stipend given to every citizenand why it might be the answer for our age of rising inequality, persistent poverty, and dazzling technology. Imagine if every month the government deposited $1,000 into your checking account, with no strings attached and nothing expected in return. It sounds crazy. But it has become one of the most influential and discussed policy ideas of our time. The founder of Facebook, President Obamas chief economist, Canada and Finlands governments, the conservative and labor movements leading intellectual lightsall are seriously debating versions of a UBI. In this sparkling and provocative book, economics writer Annie Lowrey looks at the global UBI movement. She travels to Kenya to see how a UBI is lifting the poorest people on earth out of destitution, India to see how inefficient government programs are failing the poor, South Korea to interrogate UBIs intellectual pedigree, and Silicon Valley to meet the tech titans financing UBI pilots in expectation of a world with advanced artificial intelligence and little need for human labor. Lowrey also examines the challenges the movement faces: contradictory aims, uncomfortable costs, and most powerfully, the entrenched belief that no one should get something for nothing. The UBI movement calls into question our deepest intuitions about what we owe each other. Yet as Lowrey persuasively shows, a UBIgiving people moneyis not just a solution to our problems, but a better foundation for our society in this age of marvels.
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Jen2
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Lots to think about.

Blueberry I have one 😀 @Nataliepatalie 5y
NataliePatalie A necessity! ❤ @Blueberry 5y
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ShansMousey
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What would you do if the government sent you each month $1000? Pay off debts, ensure your bills were in order, go back to school? Annie Lowry makes a strong case for the implementation of a universal basic income. She argues not only could it end poverty, but bridge the gender pay gap, help alleviate racial inequalities, and ensure every citizen had the power and dignity to make their own choices unburdened by financial constraints.

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bourne.shell
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A nice overview of the concept of “Universal Basic Income“. She does a great job of presenting both sides of the argument, the challenges, the pro's and con's, and how other countries are experimenting with the idea. Whether you agree with UBI or not, by the end of the book there's a compelling case that unconditional cash seems to be better suited to help the underprivileged then requirement based social welfare programs.

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Notafraidofwords
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This book is a great overview on the concept of Universal Basic Income. She lays out examples, data and problems that can arise from this. I think she lays it all out: this concept is an ideal to strive for. Why is it important? Because there are so many people working so many hours and still living in deep poverty. I‘m not 100 percent sold on this idea, but that‘s okay because it pushed me towards other ideas. That‘s sort of the point.

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MarkoPDX
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Although this book still hasn't convinced me that a UBI is sustainable in the US government/economy, this book convinced me that it is a fair and equitable solution to the welfare system we have now.

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midhun.j.zacharia
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"To take nothing as given. To think intensely about what we owe one another, how we care for one another, how we shape and grow our own economy, what we take away from one another, what we give."

This book engages with an idea that we must think about and talk about more. Brave, fair and interesting writing!

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GivenLemons
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I‘ve loved the concept of a UBI for a long time, and this book still brought new ideas and arguments to consider. I still believe that the greatest barrier is the social one. #catsoflitsy

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Bbramd
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I don‘t think we are ready for this but I hope one day it will happen. We have data to support the idea

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hoggman
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A close friend recommended this one to me, glad I was able to find a copy! Almost all of the selection in barnes and noble business section is uhhh extremely capitalist. Surprise surprise.

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OutsmartYourShelf
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What would happen if everyone received a basic income regardless of their circumstances? Total anarchy? People quitting their jobs in droves?

Some interesting thoughts in this book but I felt it fell down a little on implementation. Rating: 4 🌟 Longer review at www.goodreads.com/tallgirlreads

Thanks to NetGalley and publishers, Penguin Random House UK, Ebury Publishing, for the opportunity to review an ARC.

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catiewithac
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️#MUSTREAD⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This is a highly readable book that lays out the benefits of a universal basic income and the obstacles to implementing such a policy. #UBI #informyourself

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catiewithac
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Our reality is mostly determined by our collective political will or lack thereof.

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EchoLogical
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No pretty picture with this one but here it is anyway. Interesting read. Author Annie Lowrey discusses the value of a UBI (universal basic income) and the pros and cons associated with it. I found Lowrey‘s take on its obstacles to be particularly insightful: an American obsession with the virtue of hard work, racism and “otherizing”, and the financial aspect of finding the money. Not sold on the idea UBIs but still a good read.

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EchoLogical ***Received a free copy from Penguin‘s First to Read program in exchange for my honest opinion*** 6y
jpmcwisemorgan I think there are other things we can do like shifting our economy green and focusing less on GDP and more on factors like social good, environmental impact. We could pay people more but there would have to be a universal understanding that companies can‘t just raise prices to make up for it. It relates to some of the stuff in Enough is Enough, which I just finished. 6y
EchoLogical @jpmcwisemorgan Yeah, I said the same thing to my husband about prices going up. TBH, I'm one of those "raise taxes for more stuff" people. I have no problem paying into things that benefit everyone like universal healthcare or education for all but I realize things like that are pipe dreams here in America. ? 6y
Weaponxgirl I always thought it would be a great idea if prices didn't rise horribly for people in jobs like mine that are essential to society but that don't pay very well. If I want to get any benefits I can't do overtime as that would need to be declared and they are well known to take forever to sort stuff out, over/ underpay recipients and generally mess up lives. We need as a society to step away from well paying jobs showing a persons worth. 6y
EchoLogical @Weaponxgirl Agreed! Jobs don‘t indicate one‘s worth. 6y
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Hooked_on_books
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A fascinating book about how the removal of welfare and food stamps programs could be removed and replaced with a Universal Basic Income to life more people out of poverty. This book doesn‘t have all the answers but is interesting and informative about a concept that is likely to be part of the national discourse in the coming years. I really enjoyed it.

Samplergal I read it too. Yes love this idea, but wouldn‘t fly. Too many Fox News viewers. Think it‘s really smart though. 6y
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EchoLogical
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I‘m trying to get back into reading ARCs and nonfiction so getting approved for this one was perfect!

2BR02B This sounds great! I fully support a universal basic income. It just makes sense. 👍 7y
EchoLogical @2BR02B I just opened this one but I'd be okay if someone gave me money for sure. 😅 7y
Suet624 I agree with this idea. Having universal health care would be my first request though. (edited) 7y
See All 11 Comments
EchoLogical @Suet624 Definitely! 7y
Bostonmomx2 They‘ve already figured out what a failure this concept is...I believe it was tried in Norway (?) and was a complete failure. 7y
EchoLogical @Bostonmomx2 No clue but maybe they'll mention it in the book? 🤷🏾‍♀️ 7y
EchoLogical @Bostonmomx2 Either way, I‘m excited to get into this one. It should be an interesting read. 7y
Suet624 I just saw a NY Times article saying Stockton CA was going to try this. 7y
Suet624 Free Cash to Fight Income Inequality? California City Is First in U.S. to Try https://nyti.ms/2LEctXj?smid=nytcore-ios-share 7y
EchoLogical @Suet624 Finally read the article. Five hundred doesn't seem like much but I'm curious to see how it goes. 7y
Suet624 Yeah, I was disappointed in the amount. 7y
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