I asked MIT labor economist David Autor whether there were any natural experiments in universal basic income, and what they teach us. He cited the contrast between Saudi Arabia and Norway. Both countries have enormous oil wealth, he noted, but in Saudi Arabia, the bulk of the wealth goes to a small percent of the population. Much of the work of everyday society is looked down on and is done by an underclass of low-paid “guest workers” while an elite works at sinecure jobs or enjoys idle pursuits. In Norway, by contrast, Autor said, “All kinds of work are valued. Everybody works, they just work
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