i sympathize with your concern we could re design society, i think there'd be a mistake. introducing a universal basic income is a very dramatic way to try to re design society. I would think religion would find some innovative ways to reach out to folks. And of course, youtube does that every day. We don't know how much, but certainly lots of things come into play.
Why are fewer men working over the last few decades? Is a universal basic income a good policy for coping with the loss of employment? Economist Edward Glaeser of Harvard University talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about what Glaeser calls the war on work--the policy changes that have reduced employment among prime-aged men. Glaeser does not see the universal basic income as a viable solution to the decrease in work especially if technology ends up reducing employment opportunities more dramatically in the future. The conversation also includes a discussion of the role of cities and the reduction in geographic mobility in the United States.