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This post is in response to a post made by @reagan.sturges @reagan.sturges/week-12-questions-universal-basic):
What is universal basic income?
Universal basic income is a government sponsored program in which citizens are provided with a baseline salary without any strings attached. By implementing this program, every citizen has the ability to remain above the poverty line and not fret about making ends meet. Since this amount provided would only be enough for individuals and families to stay afloat, there would be a strong sense of inspiration to continue to find consistent jobs and enjoy more luxurious lifestyles (Livingston, 2021). Having the extra money to save for a rainy day will inspire people to be more adventurous and take more risks to chase their dreams and help improve society. Without it, there may be many citizens who feel too scared to invent a new product or provide a new service. Then, the rest of us would simply miss out on this innovation. There are many individuals, however, that say that a universal basic income would not be more beneficial than detrimental. Their claim is that some individuals would take advantage of this benefit without maintaining a consistent job and not provide any kind of benefit to society. This is what makes universal basic income so intriguing, in my opinion. With the constant flow of money into the pockets of every citizen, there comes this general sense of freedom that will inspire increased morality in the long run. Thinking about it on a more personal level, having a universal basic income would reassure my concerns about living on a preschool teacher’s salary after graduation and allow me to refocus my attention on more important matters, such as running my own non-profit organization. Without this safety net, I would not feel comfortable taking that leap. And this would be seen across the population. Those who have typically had to work multiple jobs just to make ends meet would have the resources to cover their bills and spend more time with their families. As time went on, the country as a whole would have a better quality of life. There would be less people struggling to put food on the table and keep the lights on and more people focused on their goals and aspirations. Altogether, universal basic income is an answer to an age-old question: how can we reduce poverty?
Source:
Livingston, A. (2021, May 12). Could universal basic income (UBI) work in the U.S.? – pros & cons. Money Crashers. https://www.moneycrashers.com/universal-basic-income/.