Fred Block Replies

I am grateful to Dustin Guastella and Mark Levinson for their thoughtful responses to my article. While they continue to favor a government job guarantee, there are areas of agreement. Guastella points out that jobs “provide a major source of meaning in our lives.” I agree, which is why I stress that creating and maintaining a tight labor market should remain a central goal for the left. My point is that government employment schemes have often produced degraded and punitive jobs that do not deliver meaningful experiences. Moreover, other pursuits can also be meaningful, as when people gain new knowledge and skills, when they care for family members, and when they engage in volunteer activities. That’s why we need to challenge the view that paid employment is the only legitimate source of income for those without trust funds.