134 — The Working Hypothesis

Boston Basic Income

In 2018, Oren Cass wrote a book called "The Once and Future Worker" in which he argues for creating labor market conditions that give everyone the opportunity to contribute to society as productive workers. This position is based on an assumption that he calls "The Working Hypothesis":
"[A] labor market in which workers can support strong families and communities is the central determinant of long-term prosperity and should be the central focus of public policy."
Why does Oren Cass believe this? To what extent is it true? Is basic income compatible with this goal? Does it need to be? Why do we think of workforce abandonment and government dependence as problems?
Bethany Burum joins us to discuss. Bethany is a social psychologist and lecturer at Harvard University. She studies cultural evolution and uses game theory to explain the hidden incentives behind human social behavior.
The reading this week is an essay in The American Interest entitled "The Working Hypothesis" by Oren Cass, which is adapted from his book.
Previous related Boston Basic Income topics have included:
BBI #102: Idleness and Leisure
BBI #129: Workers vs Consumers
BBI #132: Cultural Incentives
Original YouTube Recording
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