MMT The Job Guarantee: Building an Economy That Works for Everyone

MMT uk research group presents: The Job Guarantee: Building an Economy That Works for Everyone

Political Economist William Thomson and UCL PhD candidate Patricia Pino will explore one of the most transformative — and practical — ideas in economics today: a government Job Guarantee. The discussion is chaired by Katie Shields from the Regenerative Economy Lab At its heart, the Job Guarantee is a simple promise — that everyone who wants to work can do so in a safe, fairly paid, and socially useful job. It positions the state as the employer of last resort, just as it already acts as the banker, doctor, and educator of first resort. A UK-wide Job Guarantee could eliminate involuntary unemployment, tackle poverty, reduce inequality, and provide the foundation for a fairer and more sustainable economy. But it would also represent a profound shift in values — away from the belief that unemployment is unavoidable, and toward a recognition that dignified work is a human right.

ANNOUNCEMENT: MMT Founder Warren Mosler is a late addition to the panel

Framed within Modern Monetary Theory and Degrowth economics, this session will explain why a monetary sovereign government like Westminster can easily fund such a programme — and why the claim that “we can’t afford it” is a political choice, not an economic fact. A Job Guarantee offers both stability and compassion: it ends the economic and social devastation of unemployment while creating space for meaningful, low-carbon work that benefits communities and the planet. As the festival’s final session, this discussion will draw together the week’s key themes — challenging austerity, inequality, and ecological harm — and show how one policy could turn those conversations into lasting change.

GENERAL ADMISSION: £8.