In fact, taxi drivers in California were all typically self employed already.
These positions fall apart under even the most cursory examination.
Wow, you really did a good job of accounting for the aggregate labor supply/demand dynamics right there. There was no Uber before Uber therefore Uber is great! You heard it here first, people!
> These positions fall apart under even the most cursory examination.
Right back atcha.
As I said, this was a new growth industry. Taxis do not have a supply/demand dynamic because (for example in SF) the industry is artificially constricted by the medallion system or other controls. There have never been unallocated taxi medallions in SF.
As I also previously pointed out, taxi drivers were already independent contractors prior to Uber -- so if non-employee work is inherently immoral then this doesn't represent a change from the status quo.
It's difficult to see how Uber's system of allowing people to work if and when they feel like it is worse than the city's system where people would have to finance up to $1 million to buy a ticket allowing them to work within the regulatory system.
> Right back atcha.
No, as I've shown you simply did not read carefully. Please be civil in your response and please take some time to consider what's already been said.
So the supply increased, there are less jobs there are orders of magnitude more.
Educate yourself.
Parent was making an observation about the mandate of working in our society, and you replied that you weren't talking about people who have to work... :/
I think you should re-read OP's original comment more carefully.