Page 12 - A Social Dividend: An Income Guaranteed to Each Citizen

Progress and Unemployment

39. How do we deal with unemployment? be applied to freeing mankind.
If it were simply a matter of work we know that 41. Could progress be a good thing?
anyone can dig a hole, fill it up, dig it again and fill Of course. The machine is worthwhile and a step
it up once more. An unemployed person occupied in the right direction even if it replaces the work of
in this manner would not make a single penny. Why 10 men. This is an indicator of progress.
focus on work and jobs when it is money that is
Progress frees us from working for material well-
needed? The solution does not lie with work; it lies being and gives us more time for leisure. Everyone
with the products that must be sold. An increase in
the sales of products could even give employment must be able to purchase what progress makes
new life. possible. Progress should improve the quality of life
and liberate us from worries about the future.
The system ironically requires that work be
done in order to have access to goods whose pro- 42. How can mechanization become an ally?
duction requires the input of less work. This alliance would be created through the dis-
40. We do not want mechanization to take away tribution of a Social Dividend which would be a
source of purchasing power in addition to salaries.
our jobs. The Dividend would enable the population to buy
What? Is progress an enemy of mankind? Must the abundant products available because of techno-
we give up on education and all discoveries? Must logical advances and progress.
we close all universities and end research? 43. Would the Social Dividend be the source of
Progress must not be done away with; it must an additional tax borne by those who work?

With the Social Dividend,
Machinery Becomes Man’s Ally

In the beginning stages of industrialization in
the 19th century, men were responsible for 20% of
production, animals 50%, and the use of machinery
accounted for 30% of production. By 1900, men
were responsible for only 15% of outputs, animals
30% and machinery 55%. By 1950, the figures
shifted significantly. Machinery was responsible for
94% of production and workers the remaining 6%!
The digital revolution promises more to come.
Microprocessors can perform more than one mil-
lion operations per second. How many workers
have been replaced in various manufacturing sec-
tors because of computers? technology cannot decide the full measure of its
Is technology evil? Should we destroy technol- own allegiance: whether it is for humanity or
ogy for “taking our jobs”? against it... For this reason my appeal goes to all
No, it is good for machinery to do routine work concerned... to everyone who can make a contri-
and thus allow men and women to invest their lei- bution toward ensuring that the technology which
sure time in freely chosen activities as long as an has done so much to build Toronto and all of Can-
income to replace the salary lost when the machine ada will truly serve every man, woman and child
took workers’ jobs is provided. Without another throughout this land and the whole world” (Pope
source of purchasing power, however, machines John Paul II, Toronto, Canada, September 15, 1984).
become an enemy not an ally. A Dividend provided to each man, woman and
“Technology has contributed much to enhance child, in order to purchase the portion of production
the well-being of humanity. It has done much to made possible by technology, would allow all Can-
uplift the human condition, serve humanity, and adians to benefit from technology and would make
to facilitate and perfect its work. And yet at times machines and mechanization society’s allies.
Alain Pilote

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