Opinion of workfare?

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

Obviously a vile Horrible Scheme, (normal left-winger etc)

[Mr. Reactionary]

Does your definition of workfare include the options of attending training programs/ actively look for work, if no jobs can be found?

[Intell]

Horrible.

[DavidB.]

I honestly don't know. On this issue I'm really on the fence, and basically have always been.

On the one hand, it seems reasonable to ask people who can work for a contribution.

On the other hand, it seems reasonable to provide a certain minimum standard of living without asking something back - moreover, people on welfare often payed into the system for a long time. Useless work is degrading (the government should not let people work just because) and useful work has a price, meaning that these people should ideally just be hired outside any government program. Setting up "workfare programs" could also drive working people into unemployment. Recently, here in the Netherlands, there was a story of a guy (I believe he cleaned the streets or so) who got fired and subsequently had to do the same job as he did before as "workfare", just for less money. That's obviously problematic.

So I'm not sure about this.

[Murica!]

No, I don't support slavery.

[OSR stands with Israel]

Does your definition of workfare include the options of attending training programs/ actively look for work, if no jobs can be found?

[Antonio the Sixth]

A vile, immoral, and just plain stupid idea that belongs in the dustbin of 1990s Third-Way nonsense. I use opposition to it as the primary litmus test to tell a genuine Social Democrat apart from a neoliberal sellout.

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

Does your definition of workfare include the options of attending training programs/ actively look for work, if no jobs can be found?

They should be optional of course. I see no point in forcing benefit claimants to sit in a Jobcentre while some gormless yuppie yammers on about how you shouldn't wear a bathrobe to a job interview.

[Arturo Belano]

No, I don't support slavery.

[Wake Me Up When The Hard Border Ends]

FF, as it can lead to work, plus provides valuable skills. A friend of a friend of mine, who was on workfare at a food bank, recently became president of said foodbank, and is now off welfare altogether.