Re: and when we're all rich, then what?

[Bruce McFarling <ecbm@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Wed, 28 Aug 2002 19:24:36 -0500,
"Barry Brooks" <barrybrooks@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

>Instead of making fake paid jobs to match the labor force we need to
>match the labor force to the paid jobs we really need, and that is much
>less than full employment.

The flaw here is elevating paid jobs that can be justified
commercially or on basis of urgent social need as "real",
and paid jobs of any other sort as "fake".  The system inside
which the "real" jobs gain their status as "real" is socially
constructed.  In one system, you need someone who has studied
dusty old tomes intensively for years to defend you from
someone else who is employing someone who has studied dusty
old tomes for years.  In another system, you need to hire
someone who is handy with hand to hand combat for the same
purposes.  Why is the lawyer the "real" job in the one
system and the mercenary the "real" job in the other? Because
of the way that the societies settle commercial conflicts.

If praying in the temple, or singing, or surfing, or trying
to run 100 metres faster than somebody else, are all "real"
jobs, why is going out plantint saltbush to help with
salinization problems a "fake" job?

Especially when we know that the outer limit on the total
number of "real" jobs available can be set by all sorts of
things out of the control of individuals, but under the
influence of national governments, why would we elevate
commercial viability of employment to some sort of "real"
status?

Whether or not there is a GMI, the government has a
responsibility to provide work for all of its citizens
as an employer of last resort.  The responsibility is
derived from the fact that only it can back the
guarantee, irrespective of the state of effective
demand.

Of course, provision of an employment guarantee will help
weaken the growth addiction to the extent that it is partly
derived from the close connection between new production
and private employment.


--
Dr. Bruce R. McFarling, PhD
Bus. Office 1.72 -- (02) 4348-4078
School of Business
Faculty of the Central Coast
Newcastle University, Ourimbah