Universal High Income (UHI)

UHI imagines paying everyone a large stipend in a wealthy, automated economy–an idea popularized by Elon Musk. The book argues UHI fails in scarcity markets: massive cash creates inflation and preserves landlord or monopoly power. It also leaves the meaning crisis untouched; wealth without purpose breeds stagnation.

Unscarcity replaces UHI with direct provision and the Frontier’s purpose engine. Merit becomes the gate to extraordinary experiences, not money. UHI’s appeal–sharing automation dividends–is acknowledged, but the execution shifts from currency to infrastructure and mission access.

The critique aligns with economic concerns about price levels under untargeted cash and with psychological research on purpose beyond consumption.

References

• UnscarcityBook, chapter1
• Elon Musk remarks on UHI (World Government Summit 2017)
• Brookings, “Costs and benefits of UBI” (2018)