Abstract

The title of the book to be introduced today is "The War on Normal People". It can be seen as the representative work of Andrew Yang, a US lawyer, philanthropist, non-profit company representative, and progressive political activist. In the United States, it was published in April 2018 under the title <The War on Normal People>, and in Korea in January 2019, it was translated by Jang Yong-won and introduced through Flow Publishing.


​​Book introduction

This book is dealing with the topic of <Basic Income>. In Korea, it is a well-known topic through the claims of a recent presidential candidate. The argument is that everyone should be paid a certain amount, regardless of their wealth or income.


The author (like the subtitle of the original document) unravels the justification for why basic income should be implemented from the perspective of the upcoming mass unemployment.


If you go to the supermarket, there are already unmanned checkout machines. There are three unmanned ice cream shops in front of my house, as well as an unmanned stationery store and an unmanned food mart. If you go to McDonald's or Burger King, there is a kiosk instead of a person who greets you.


To put it bluntly, people are less suited to 'work' than machines. It is because people need to rest, treat them humanely, and dream of a better life.


The characteristics that make humans dignified are, paradoxically, the main reason why people are inferior to machines in the labor market.


Anyway, the author says jobs will disappear. Unskilled workers will be pushed out by machines. It's not going to stay there. Machines will replace even highly trained professionals.


The author is pessimistic, but it is said that there is a limit to overcoming this flow through individual efforts. Both successful and unsuccessful people are affected by the environment. No one succeeds or fails only because of his own strength (or because of his laziness and incompetence).


Through these arguments, the author is building a legitimacy or justification that the government should artificially distribute free dividends (basic income) to individuals.





Structure of the Book


1. Technology is driving people out.

The first part deals with how technological advances are putting people out of jobs and how the trend will accelerate in the future. It reveals who the impact will be, that is, who the average person is. It deals with how far the aftermath of mass unemployment will go.

Examples of specific occupational groups are used to warn of what changes are likely to occur (i.e., how they will be replaced by machines). Do you think it is different from a highly educated professional? That's not it. I'm explaining why. Pointing out that mass unemployment is an unavoidable reality, the authors are accumulating the legitimacy of the basic income idea.


2. There are structural inequality that can't be overcomed with 'Efforts'.

In the second part, it talks about the unequal reality of modern people. It presents the fact that there are structural inequality that cannot be overcome by individual efforts from various perspectives. It is implying that the development of machines will further accelerate such inequality.

Inequality will be harsher on women, the poor, and the disabled, who have been considered the weak in traditional societies, implying that such inequality will befall everyone in the future.

It emphasizes that the reason why some people live better than others and why they do not live is that there are numerous environmental factors in addition to their efforts. These discussions, for most of the people who will be hit by mass unemployment, are giving the government a reason and justification for responding (ie, in solidarity with the whole society).


3. Why is basic income the answer?

The third part, therefore, gives the author's suggestions on What to do? As you might have guessed, the author proposes a basic income (here referred to as a free dividend) so that everyone can enjoy a minimum standard of living.

It is expected that the counterargument is too radical, but in fact, I am explaining with historical examples that these ideas are not new.

Can we realistically afford it? The author also provides his own answer to this. This means that the administrative cost of sorting out people who need cash welfare can be reduced. It also suggests a prospect that universal income will revive the local economy. Although the tax burden will increase, we also propose a plan to secure financial resources through value-added tax and product and service tax.

It is pointed out that the motivation to work will decrease. In this regard, I am reassuring that no one will play and eat just because they are barely getting enough money to stick to their mouths.

Take it one step further, you'll get paid but your time will remain. How should I use this time? The idea of volunteering and accumulating time as credit is also suggested. That means you can get help when you need it.


Meaning found in books


1. Highly educated professionals also are not safe.

​At some point, there have been concerns that high-level technological development will bring about a dystopia. This book is meaningful in that it can vividly see a picture of the tragic future (?) that technological development will bring.

The author also casts a vote against the optimistic view that 'simple repetitive labor jobs will disappear, but jobs that require high-level thinking will still require humans'.

Being a professional doesn't mean you always work with high levels of mental activity. Most professionals do a lot of work by analyzing similar cases in the past and applying them to the current situation.

It is possible that significant part of the labor can be replaced by machines. If so, it will be possible to reduce a considerable portion of the workforce as well even. Change is already happening, and it is urging readers to be alert in that it is progressing faster than expected.


2. Dealing with progressive issues, but not hostile to capitalists and vested interests

Personally, I have a prejudice against books dealing with progressive issues. Progressive discourse inherently contains challenging issues to the existing order or vested interests. So, there are parts that can't be helped, but on the other hand, it's because I've often experienced writings that harbor hostility toward vested interests.

This is why I want to give this book a positive review. Some books pursue the ideal and rely only on the justification. Some books even feel seditious. Unlike him, this book describes social change in a fairly calm and dry style. The decrease in jobs is not because capitalists are greedy, and it is not because those who have them prey on the common people.

The author sees this as a natural phenomenon. It is based on the premise that the mechanism is like that. If you are a manager, you are emphasizing that such things inevitably happen in the process of pursuing efficiency.

I would like to point out positively that it was not difficult to accept even as a conservative in that it does not demand or force the moral awakening of the vested interests while pursuing justification.


3. Realistic Necessity and Ethical Requirement

Speaking of basic income, 'Isn't that just a way to spread money?' I tend to think that. It's a good argument to go further and think, 'It's the Communist Party!' If you read this book, you will get rid of those misunderstandings and think, 'Is it worth considering?' you can think of.

The author's sincere explanation and solution to the objection to the basic income system and the expected side effects are very helpful in understanding the purpose of this idea.


4. Comfortable paragraph composition

The paragraphs are structured so that the contents can be easily accepted, so I felt that I was being considered from the standpoint of the reader. It is composed of two brackets, so you can accept the purpose of claiming in each paragraph without misunderstanding.


Action Item

There is a topic that I want to explore more than it was particularly disappointing. For example, the idea of collecting VAT to finance basic income is one of them.


The VAT is a typical regressive tax. Is it logically consistent to propose a value-added tax as a source of finance while proposing to introduce a basic income to resolve income inequality? I thought. Personally, I'll have to do some more research on this.


Conclusions

Today, I reviewed <The war on normal people>. Summarizing it by three lines,

1. Machines will take over human work.

2. It is not something that an individual can overcome by trying harder.

3. We need to change our thinking in preparation for mass unemployment, and basic income is an alternative.


I think I have met a good book that broadens the scope of thinking in areas that I have not usually tried. This book won't tell you everything about the basic income idea. Still, if you can get a rough idea of what the basic income idea is all about, I think it's worth reading. Suggestion!