Leadership Quote by Guy Standing
““Ironically, opponents of basic income on the grounds that it would lead to a dismantling of the welfare state tend to support some variant of social insurance. They should be reminded that social insurance was first introduced by someone vehemently opposed to the political ideology they purport to represent. Otto von Bismarck prohibited socialists and exiled their leaders from Prussian cities. So those criticizing basic income because, in their albeit incorrect view, it is advocated by enemies of socialism should logically be opposed to the fundamental base of old welfare states.””
About This Quote
Source Speech: Basic Income Forum, London, 2015
Critics of universal basic income often ignore that its historical roots lie in policies originally opposed by the very ideologies they claim to defend.
In simple terms: Basic income critics paradoxically oppose policies created by their opponents.
Key Takeaway
Examine the historical origins of policies before dismissing them.
Themes
politics
ideology
policy
history
Mood
skeptical
analytical
Type
political
educational
When to use this quote
- public debates
- legislative reform
- political campaigns
- academic discourse
Key Concepts
social welfare
economic theory
Questions to Reflect On
- What assumptions do you hold about the origins of welfare policies?
- How might recognizing these origins change your stance?
A Different Perspective
Historical context may be oversimplified, leading to misinformed opposition.
![“a basic income is arguably more justified by the need for economic security than by a desire to eradicate poverty. Martin Luther King captured several aspects of this rather well in his 1967 book, Where Do We Go from Here? [A] host of positive psychological changes inevitably will result from…” quote by Guy Standing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/fa0/guy-standing-4017_cybersecurity_a-basic-income-is-arguably-more-justifie_2676506.jpg)
