[lbo-talk] To each according to work

[John Thornton]

While I'm more than willing to have a more in depth discussion of why I 
believe what I do a few points are worth making right away.
The way to maximize opportunities is to have completely equal incomes 
after attempting compensation for differential needs.
This eliminates any coercive nature of work.
This eliminates unnecessary work.
Philippe Van Parijs makes the argument for this arrangement more 
eloquently than I probably can even though his argument is missing a few 
important points in my opinion.

Incidentally if you would truly prefer to sit on the beach and read 
under such an arrangement no one would or could stop you so there is 
nothing unfair about any such arrangement.
Only if you wish to punish such behaviour is a remuneration differential 
required.
I suspect most people would need no addition incentive to be productive.
Cooperation is in our nature.
It makes no more sense to reward the behaviour of people who want to 
work 45 hours per week more than those who want to work 5 hours per week 
than it does to reward the people who love chocolate more than those who 
prefer strawberry.
Our society suffers from an excess of work, not a lack of work.

John Thornton

andie nachgeborenen wrote:
> Why? Those who can't work, I can see that. I can see an expanded definition of work to cover nontraditional categories of labor. I can see a minimum income so nobody starves, however lazy and unproductive they may be. 
>
> But if someone wants to sit on the beach and read John Grisham while I take out the garbage and clean up after dinner, that's not fair or reasonable if he gets, in addition to that, the same material benefits as those who assume the burdens of necessary labor. 
>
> Why should he get equal benefits? He's enjoyed the benefits of amusing himself while I have undertaken the burden of doing something necessary and unpleasant. Why should he get everything that I get? Hasn't he already got his? 
>
> Isn't it in fact exploiting me to say, OK, now we all get equal (I simplify) shares, John, and Justin alike? But but, I squawk. Now now, John says, We are socialists here. Guess who's gonna do the garbage and the dishes next time? Not moi. Short sighted? I don't think it is me who is being short sighted.
>
>
> --- On Fri, 4/18/08, John Thornton <jthorn65 at sbcglobal.net> wrote:
>
>   
>> From: John Thornton <jthorn65 at sbcglobal.net>
>> Subject: Re: [lbo-talk] To each according to work
>> To: lbo-talk at lbo-talk.org
>> Date: Friday, April 18, 2008, 5:35 PM
>> Charles Brown wrote:
>>     
>>> ========
>>>
>>>       
>> http://lists.econ.utah.edu/pipermail/marxism/2008-April/027002.html
>>
>>     
>>> GRANMA of Cuba
>>>
>>> LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:
>>>
>>> Those Who Do Not Work Should Not Enjoy Equal Benefits
>>>       
>> What a sad short sighted perspective.
>>
>> John Thornton
>