Thread by @Noahpinion

Hey, everyone! In light of today's Green New Deal FAQ promising economic security for people who are "unwilling to work", today's @bopinion post is fortuitously timely!

The question is: Should work continue to be the basis of government aid?

bloomberg.com/opinion/articl…

In the industrial age, work was of central importance to society's idea of who deserved economic security.

Work was at the center of the New Deal.

When conservatives were able to make inroads against the welfare state, it was by spreading the idea that government assistance discouraged work:

But now some on the Left think we should de-emphasize work:

But most proposals on the Left still center work, and workers.

Each approach has its advantages and disadvantages.

Work-based programs could let people fall through the cracks, and they might not be suited to a new economy polarized by technology.

But universalist programs might make those who are willing to work resent those who are unwilling to work:

The choice of whether to emphasize work or switch to a more universalist approach, seems like it will increasingly be a dividing line among those who want to make our society more equal.

(end)

bloomberg.com/opinion/articl…