How should America help people develop their capabilities: through individual payments or better access to education, training, and opportunity? I compare human-capital infrastructure with roads, dams, and rural electricity, then use an orchard as a metaphor for the conditions that allow individuals to grow.
A privately funded Arlington cash pilot gives the question a practical setting. Its February 2024 evaluation describes families using greater financial stability to pursue training and career goals. I consider how financial stability can give people time and room to develop their skills. The argument turns toward livable wages and the time needed for self-improvement. Can someone working full time afford both daily necessities and a chance to advance?
Read the essay and sources: https://joelkdouglas.com/2024/02/20/orchards-of-prosperity/
