The Creativity Tax

For much of the past century, with the U.S. considered the world leader in innovation, its economic growth based on continued creative contributions from its citizens was a given. But this privileged position is under threat. In recent years, the U.S. has lagged behind other countries on several innovation measures, and including an ability to compete against international cities for venture-capital backed startups and creative talent. The arrival of AI only adds urgency to the questions of whether the U.S. will continue to be an innovation leader, and whether that leadership will advance human flourishing.

The Creativity Tax draws on neuroscience, psychology, economics, law, and public policy to make the case that reducing poverty and inequality through a federal guaranteed income is the missing key to unlocking our collective creative potential and expanding our innovative capacity. It explains how policy inaction in addressing poverty and inequality is taxing our innovative capacities in ways that threaten our continued ability to produce high quality, socially beneficial innovation. The book also reveals how these questions of innovation leadership are deeply entwined with questions of who gets to innovate in this country and what kinds of innovation is produced—innovation for innovation's sake that benefits a few, or truly useful innovation that advances human flourishing.

Synthesizing a broad range of scholarship, Stephanie Plamondon makes a novel argument for addressing poverty and inequality, not only as a matter of social welfare policy, but also for our nation's continued progress as an innovation leader.