The Precariat: The New Dangerous Class Special COVID-19 Edition

This book presents the new Precariat - the rapidly growing number of people facing lives of insecurity, on zero-hours contracts, moving in and out of jobs that give little meaning to their lives. The delivery driver who brings your packages, the Uber driver who gets you to work, the security guard at the mall, the carer looking after our elderly...these are The Precariat. Guy Standing investigates this new and growing group, finding a frustrated and angry new underclass who are often ignored by politicians and economists. The rise of zero-hours contracts, encouraged by corporations as risk-free employment, has been exacerbated by the COVID pandemic. The western world is realizing the true value of key workers like nurses, carers, and essential service providers. The solution involves the return of income security and meaningful work, emphasizing concepts like Basic Income as an inevitable part of future economic policy.