[frozenwind]

CBDC is a another puzzle piece of a future dystopia. We're exchanging freedom for the sake of a security façade.

[ricardobayes]

On the other hand, imagine what level of services we could have if it wasn't for the tax dodgers and cash in hand payments. I reckon we could fund universal basic income just from whitening the economy, in any given country.

[ifyoubuildit]

I imagine we'd have a similar level of services, and the same level of urgency to raise taxes.

[CapstanRoller]

I don't think the answer is that simple. Sure, cash users are an easy target here, but upon closer inspection things just don't add up. Targeting cash users would have some deeply negative side effects for everyone.

To quote patio11: "The optimal amount of fraud is non-zero". The financial system needs slack, otherwise it destroys itself.

https://www.bitsaboutmoney.com/archive/optimal-amount-of-fra...

[prottog]

Imagine if we just had a land value tax to replace all other taxes. Can't dodge that particular tax, unless someone is able to hide a piece of land from being seen.

> I reckon we could fund universal basic income just from whitening the economy, in any given country.

I reckon that no economy, no matter how advanced, is so productive that you can provide a systemic incentive for everyone to not produce anything yet still be guaranteed to be supported. Will some work even when they don't have to? Sure. Will more people not work than before? Almost definitely. Will this effect compound over time and topple the system sooner rather than later? Guaranteed.

[webnrrd2k]

"Economic Whitening" appears to be suppressing the gray and black markets.

I haven't heard the term before, and thought maybe it had something to do with racial BS. (or maybe a teeth whitening campaign?)

[ss108]

Do you think the reason why we don't have that is because of a lack of money, and not a lack of political will?

[wwalexander]

What makes you think that the increased tax revenue would go to anything benefitting regular citizens?