Putting quality of life at the forefront

IN TODAY’S society, work has a financial basis: we sell our labour power and in exchange receive money.

But this is confusing the reality. Money is the means of exchange and we should work by vocation. Work must be primarily for meaning and purpose.

A three-dimensional understanding of our labour by the Green Party offers us a realistic method of solving unemployment at the same time as massively enriching society itself. Environmental equity goes hand in hand with climate equity and social equity; necessarily, they cannot be separated.

For starters, they uphold the principle of a Universal Basic Income, before deciding the work that should be done.

When we say “what work do you want to do?” we should instead ask, “what do you want to design or create?”.

Rather than centre education on qualifications and knowledge, we should prioritise skills and abilities; real-life value, not theoretical assumptions.

Making people the subjects of change not just the objects is thus central to their strategy: agency and innovation. It is quite ironic that the Green Party has a deeper understanding of economics than the Conservatives and capitalism put together.

They seem to understand where the wealth comes from and the faith that other people might know more about it than any number of economists and bankers. A four-day week without loss of pay is reasonable and realistic: make the economy serve people and planet, not the converse. Life should be more than work.

One central aspect of their strategy is a National Nature Service to be used to enrich the environment. There are a number of projects and work to be done to make this not only realistic but imperative.

One small example is the provision of parks and green space – thus the philosophy underpins the economics.

These jobs might begin as unskilled, but over time people can skill-up in a field of their own choosing.

After all, can a financial value be put on a beautiful park that creates intense happiness?

It is a matter of honesty where the wealth derives from.

The Depression in the USA in the 1930s was defeated by similar supply-side economics. Full employment is not just a pipe dream.

Mr J Bucke Cefn Glas, Bridgend