PLEASANT HILL, AUGUST 1, 2018 – The grand experiment by the Province of Ontario has come to an end. The conclusion: giving free money to people is too expensive.
It is understandable. People with good hearts, well intentioned morals, and the desire to make a positive difference, must try to overcome the universe’s Entropy.
The foundation of the program in Canada was to provide an annual basic income for people unemployed or under employed. For instance, a single person making less than $26,000 (US) would be given a basic stipend. The experiment selected 4,000 people.
The program, at the outset was well thought out; for the most part. It ignored Entropy and the law of Unintended Consequences (or actions). A quick example. If the single person made $20,000 (US) their income would be topped off to $26,000. If they made $10,000 then they would be, again, topped off to $26,000.
It was intended to be the literal “hand up” to allow you to move off of the assistance and move upward into the more lucrative employment opportunities.
A simple re-statement of the 2nd law of Thermodynamics (Entropy in an isolated system – always increase. Isolated systems spontaneously evolve towards thermal equilibrium). A better way to put it is that the universe seeks the perfect balance, or a state of least energy: Let me call the universe naturally lazy. It does not want to work any harder than it has to.
Big Bang! A lot of energy spent. Very imbalanced system. Ever since, it has been slowing down; but it has not slowed down any faster than it needed to – because that would require more energy, so letting it slow down naturally is the least energy solution: ergo, lazy.
Humans are part of the Universe. We are all – every single one of us – affected by the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics. If someone is being lazy, don’t fret. You have to acknowledge that they are acting as part of the Universal constant that the universe seeks the level of least energy required.
Humans, Maslow pointed out in his Hierarchy of Needs, are lazy unless acted upon by an outside influence. The foundation is the Basic Needs. A human will do nothing, till they need water. You die of thirst long before you starve to death. The Human goes out and gets water. Not because they have a desire for water. They do so out of the reptilian brain’s instinct for survival. Thirst is the outside force.
Once the human has water, food, warmth and is rested, most of the basic needs are taken care of. However, there are two very important – post survival – needs: safety and security.
Safety comes first. If you are resting in a flood plain, you may want to find higher ground – security. The human expends energy to move higher and find the security the human needs. Basic needs resolved.
No further energy input required. Well, until you need water again, then food, then warmth and rest (low energy state).
Ignore Maslow, ignore the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics at your own logic peril.
Finland ignored it. Finland created a “basic” income (minimum guaranteed income) and it decided it did not work, did not give the right incentive.
Canada ignored it – at least in Ontario. Ontario created the basic income concept. Then, Canada decided that it did not work.
Socialism and Communism as practiced in pre-1992 China, Russia, Cuba, Venezuela, all rely on the same basic principle. People are fundamentally equal. People need water, food, warmth, rest, safety and security to handle their basic needs. They also need a family unit and friends.
The premise is that if the government provides all of those; you’ll be content.
Pre-1992 China was under harsh control. The evolution of the one-country-two-systems approach tapped into the entrepreneurial spirit of the humans who were “uncomfortable” with the old status quo. The external force was an internal and very personal unrest: I can do better. However, that did not include 100% of the population. A large majority adjusted, adapted, or had grown up in a system where the normal greeting was “have you eaten yet – Nǐ chīle ma” because food was allocated, not purchased. It was not unusual for people – in those days – to not have had food to eat.
By the way; it was not an invitation.
Now look at China. The internal urge and drive of some 300 million people has been unleashed. The largest migration takes place around the holidays in China – especially around Chinese New Year – when tens of millions of people go from their work cities, to their birth cities to spend time with family.
China has allowed the entrepreneurial cream to rise to the top.
A basic wage does not promote the rise to the top. It promotes similitude and quiescence. It reinforces the actions of the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics. I have water, I have food, I have warmth and I can rest. What else do I need.
The next external motivator is not what Ontario, Finland and the rest of the socialist world expect. The question (which truly is the motivator) is: Why should I expend energy to go to work. I work to provide myself the basic needs. I have the basic needs provided by the government. I get the same $26,000 (US) if I work, or if I don’t work. It takes less energy not to work. I can have the perfect balance at the least level of energy consumption.
I don’t need to work.
I can let the Government provide, the way mom and dad provided – and I always found a way to avoid the chores they wanted done.
Ontario is the latest to discover that free money is not the answer. Job opportunities are the answer. Fire up the economy, give everyone a fair chance to achieve, and make a good education available to sustain your desires: These are the long lasting – and hard work – pieces that raise the standard of living for all.
Free money promotes the wrong actions.
Good for you Ontario! A valiant effort, and it proved what it always proves. Jobs, not free money improve society.
Respectfully Submitted
The Lee’s Summit Conservative
