WP2 Rough Draft

A universal basic income, or unconditional basic income, has been an economic idea in question dating back to the 16th century. Most politicians viewed it as a fantasy that could never be implemented, yet it’s been getting more light in the recent years as a wealthy few continue to control a free market, while many, many others end up suffering. What makes a universal basic income unique unlike other strategies to reduce wealth inequality is that it is simply a sum of money that is distributed to ALL citizens, with no strings attached. Unlike other programs that require eligibility and have terms and conditions for the use of the money, a UBI is just placing money into the pockets of every person in a country for them to use at their disposal, making it much easier to navigate the distribution of the money. While some say that the best way to redistribute wealth from the rich to the poor is by investing it into education, health care, and safety-net programs, I believe a universal basic income would help address poverty in smaller, developed nations because it addresses the widening gap in income inequality and places the money directly into the pockets of the disadvantaged.

Wealth inequality has been an inevitable aspect of every economy dating back to as far as history accounts. Whether it was the ___ or bourgeoise who spurred the French Revolution, somehow money always ends up in the hands of a select few people: royalty, business superpowers, privileged persons. And this occurs all while the majority of people suffer and are hardly even able to put a meal on their plate, a roof over their heads, or any other basic human need. Yet, with the technological change and globalization that is taking place in the contemporary world, this divide between rich and poor is growing stronger than ever. Insert evidence. In other words. Agree so something must be done to halt these changes, and this something needs to be dramatic enough to make a difference.

A universal basic income is what we should dedicate our resources to in order to fight against the growing rate of poverty and income inequality. Quite simply, a UBI gives people a minimum standard of living so that they aren’t fully dependent on working numerous jobs at an abysmal wage, all to live another day. UBI give more power to employees so that they can wager their utility over employers and will not get taken advantage of for the pitiable minimum wage that exists today. To illustrate with an example, 64% stated that (see iphone link) Furthermore, a UBI provides people with cushion so that they can deal with unexpected fees, such as medical bills or accidents.

Pilot programs in place have demonstrated the postiive effects of a UBI. People with a UBI are generally happier and healthier because they have less economic stress. This also leaves them with more flexibility in their work and able to pursue a higher education. For instance, list numerous pilot program examples and implications. These all support the notion that a UBI can truly benefit disadvantaged populations, but we need to be able to apply this on a larger scale instead of these pilot prgrams of small groups of individuals.

We can get money from taxing the rich and implementing new taxes that will benefit us. For instance, we can place much higher taxes on large corporations, especially those who emmit large amounts of pollution and carbon dioxide. This tax serves a dual purpose as it helps pay for the UBI while also forcing corporations to identify new ways to carry out their processes in a more environmentally friendly way. Furthermore, we can tax the rich with more significant taxes and accumulate more money for the UBI. The 1000 that returns to them will not compare to the amount they pay out of pocket for the UBI, so the poor would really be benefiting and we wouldn’t need to worry about selecting individuals who are not eligible for the UBI since the would be paying money for it either way. It may seem unfair, but the real injustice lies in the countless people who cannot afford a home to live in or proper human needs while others get to live lavishly with more than enough money to get by.

Of course, the government would have to face a deficit of around 2.6 trillion dollars which sounds very intimidating at first. But when you consider the long run implications of 1000 checks to ever person in the US, the economy will be stimulated and this money can be made back in due time. For example, according to a study, a UBI would stimulate the economy and produce __ by ___.

Now, it’s important to note that a UBI would not benefit all countries. All countries have different economic situations and populations. Of course, nations with a large population will have a more difficult time trying to afford the cost of a UBI since the total cost is a product of the number of heads in the country and monthly sum of money granted by the UBI. Countries like the United States and Russia, although wealthy and with a need to address income inequality, have too large of a population to adequately support a UBI at the moment. I believe countries like the Netherlands and Sweden who also have a high Gini coefficient can implement a UBI because they have a high GDP of and a much more manageable population. A UBI would cost around as ___ as opposed to the ___ for the United States, making it more feasible.

I believe nations with a high GDP but lower population, such as Netherlands, Sweden should implement a UBI

Some may argue that the money raised for a UBI could be better spent elsewhere, like building hospitals or enforcing other safety-net programs for people. However, these progams do not place the money collected from taxes directly into the hands of the people who need it most. Sure they can utilize these resources and it definitely helps them place themselves into better situations, but there are still strings attached, and it doesn’t give them the freedom and flexibility to spend the money how they like, whether they need to pay off their rent, another semester of their education, or the medicine their child needs.

However, i think a UBI is the best because it does this which safety-net programs can’t do. An unconditional basic income allows people to decide where to allocate the resources collected so that they can truly benefit from the money no matter their circumstances.

All in all, a UBI provides people with a minimum standard of living. This is important to consider because we need to start placing ourselves in the shoes of those who are less fortunate since we are the ones who have the power and responsibility to make sure everyone is accounted for. One of the best ways to spur this change is by casting your vote. Supporting candidates like Andrew Yang and ___ in respective countries promotes the idea of a universal basic income and makes it become more of a reality rather than a fallacy developed in the Elizabethan era.