Peter Barnes argues that because of globalization, automation, and winner-take-all capitalism, there won’t be enough high-paying jobs to sustain America’s middle class in the future. Therefore, to survive economically, our middle class needs—and deserves—a supplementary source of nonlabor income.
To meet this need, Barnes proposes to give every American a share of the wealth we own together— starting with our air and financial infrastructure. These shares would pay dividends of several thousand dollars per year—money that wouldn’t be welfare or wealth redistribution but legitimate property income.Preface 1. A Simple Idea 2. The Tragedy of Our Middle Class 3. Fix the System, Not the Symptoms 4. Extracted Rent 5. Recycled Rent 6. The Alaska Model 7. Dividends For All 8. Carbon Capping: A Cautionary Tale 9. From Here To The Adjacent Possible Join The Discussion Appendix: The Dividend Potential of Co-Owned Wealth Notes Acknowledgments About the Author Index“Peter Barnes takes the national discussion on inequality to a new and important level. Enormously thoughtful, insightful, and valuable.” —Robert B. Reich, former US Secretary of Labor
“Peter Barnes offers a market-based way to support our lower and middle classes and protect our planet at the same time. Anyone tired of Washington’s stale political clichés should read this book.” —Van Jones, author of Rebuild the Dream
“I loved this book. It is clear and fast-paced and offers a breathtakingly logical solution to widening inequality and ecological l)