Liu’s fourth book is a spirited argument for the global adoption of universal basic income as a means to relieve the economic inequalities of capitalism.

As the author, a retired research biochemist, points out, a version of a universal basic income was first proposed by Thomas Paine in 1817 and has again become a hot political topic since Andrew Yang made it the centerpiece of his presidential campaign in 2020. The crux of the idea is alluringly simple: a uniform sum of money is directly disbursed monthly to every citizen above a certain age, a payment that is entirely unconditional and enough to ensure an individual’s basic needs. According to the author, UBI is necessary as a corrective to our “world of miseries,” which includes the rise of crushing poverty, suicide, crime, homelessness, and mass incarceration. Liu’s worldview is hyperbolically bleak: “The present state of civilization is as odious as it is unjust.” For Liu, the principal culprit of this pervasive wretchedness is capitalism, a form of systematic selfishness that “has generated the Poverty that we observe worldwide to this day.” The author argues that UBI is easily implementable given the sophisticated banking technology available today and that it could be easily financed by making strategic cuts to wasteful spending. Moreover, he furnishes powerful evidence that UBI would not undermine economic incentives; in fact, he cites numerous studies and pilot programs that suggest the exact opposite. The central strength of Liu’s study is his foursquare confrontation with the classic objections to UBI: its cost and the possibility that it will sabotage people’s will to work. He adds a moral argument as well: UBI is a basic human right and a necessary response to the inequalities predictably produced by capitalistic competition—which is so often fundamentally unfair.

Yet the author is not an economist, and this lack of technical expertise shows in the way he glosses over so many complex details. For example, he never argues convincingly for the fiscal viability of UBI—he simply assumes its efficacy. Moreover, he is indifferent to the many ways in which UBI might impact different economies of scale across vastly different cultures. Liu’s characterization of capitalism is closer to political sloganeering than a philosophically rigorous critique; he completely ignores capitalism’s power, for all its real shortcomings, to lift people out of poverty. Liu’s monograph is less a scholarly study than an impassioned manifesto; as a result, he has a tendency to exaggerate. For example, he claims UBI is a “panacea” for all that ails the world, a declaration as dubious as it is unsubstantiated. Similarly, he claims it will establish a “paradise on earth” and embodies the essence of Daoism (“Dao prevailing in the world,” as he deems it). The author dismisses all counterargument in his claim that it’s “criminal for anyone to oppose Universal Basic Income payment.” For all its real virtues—Liu makes many reasonable and even persuasive arguments—this is not a rigorous enough examination of UBI and fails to confront the great complexity of its advantages and disadvantages.

A study brimming with altruism but lacking in technical sophistication and analytical thoroughness.

Jingwei offers a new translation and analysis of an ancient Chinese text.

Serving as an archivist for the imperial court of the Zhou Dynasty (circa sixth century B.C.E.), Laozi postulated that the universe was formed by Dao, the benevolent spirit of the bellows, who creates and asks nothing in return. Laozi compiled his thoughts in the Dao De Jing, encouraging readers to model their actions after the nurturing Dao: “He suggests reconciliation in response to grievance suffered, and to embrace the gentle, feminine way in life.” Jingwei gives readers all 81 chapters of the Dao De Jing, in both the original Chinese and in English translation. These are followed by sections labeled “Laozi’s thinking,” which breaks down the text further, and “Comments,” which delivers a more modern interpretation of the text. Following the 81 chapters are supplementary sections that analyze the text by theme—“On Fears and Crises”; “On Femininity Appreciated”; “On Freedom”—as well as some thoughts on the composition of the text and the intentions of Laozi. Jingwei has used a very small font for his debut book so that each chapter fits on one page. The volume’s 200-page length belies the amount of material found therein. Jingwei’s translation remains clear and easy to follow, and the notes further clarify the text. Chapter 61, for example, begins: “Whatever big nation, be low flowing (humble) / Be the world’s female.” “Laozi’s thinking” reads: “For big nation, be humble; be like the mother of the world.” The “Comment” reads: “Here Laozi simply urges nations to behave with humility to avoid conflicts with each other.” The reiteration of each concept (in verse, then ancient note, then modern note) has an almost meditative effect on the reader, and the frequent use of metaphors from nature allows discussions of conflict and strife to be removed from any emotion-laden, real-world context. Jingwei occasionally falters in his English, though never in a way that makes his intention unclear. He states that his purpose in this translation is to bring the text to a wider audience, and in this he has succeeded.

An accessible and informative presentation of the Dao De Jing.