Can universal basic income help society?

In parts of California there are plans to give people no-strings-attached cash, whether they have a job or not. It's hoped these trials could be the solution to a potentially jobless dystopian future. Film supported by Mishcon de Reya

[Alexzmovie]

Here in Finland our government recently ended a 2 year UBI experiment, which involved around 2500 people. So far the conclusion seems to be that it doesn't have an effect on unemployment rates however the participants reported improved mental health and well being.

[ridgemondhigh]

There are basically three outcomes to a universal basic income. 1) It would free-up talented, ambitious individuals from the gruel and drudgery of making ends meet, enabling them to focus their time, energy and efforts on creative projects, enterprises and endeavors. In doing so, they become the next Shakespeare, Van Gogh, Edison, Madonna, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Elon Musk, Got Talent or YouTube sensation. 2) On the opposite end, you'll have people who will simply sit back and watch TV all day, buy and eat more junk food, and have lots of children. 3) Somewhere in between, doing odd jobs or volunteering here and there.

[salokin]

It's an idea proposed and considered by people like Nixon and milton Friedman, so its not a "left" idea. we need more tests and experiments like these

[TheAzazzExperience]

I can just tell those watching this: I make 1300 a month and my wife makes just a bit more than that at 1600 a month on minimum wage fast food jobs. Just receiving 500 a month for each of us would increase our income by a quarter. 1000 a month for a married couple sounds like a lot, but that's the equivalent of each of us earning about 4 bucks more of income per hour at our current jobs. A noticeable bump, but not crazy. It would allow us to actually be able to afford to buy new clothing, replacements for degrading furniture and tech, and food without having to pull out absurd and costly credit lines and loans. And in turn, it would allow us to reconsider our living space entirely - we're living in a 1000 a month 1-bedroom on the edge of Denver, CO right next to Aurora - not the nicest neighborhood at all. 500 more for rent (assuming rent prices didn't skyrocket to try and gobble up any extra income provided by the government) and 500 for other expansive things in our home would be a very sufficient boost. Neither of us nor our families can afford college expenses, so schooling is not an option unless a full version of basic income and/or free schooling was a thing. But these advancements are going to be long overdue by the time they arrive, and by then, a whole generation will be economically displaced.

[lkgpuanimho]

Till date, no UBI experiments have ever truly been universal, its always only a few people like this study only 1500 people are involved. This means that a true effect on inflation cant be measured. A truly UNIVERSAL BASIC INCOME experiment needs to involve a whole city or an entire country where everyone gets the free handouts, then you can truly and scientifically measure how it will affect inflation.

[falconarea]

"Money for nothing, jobs for free?"
Excellent Dire Straits reference...

[pinzgauernorcal]

The best part of playing the board game Monopoly, its when you pass go and get your UBI check #YANG2020

[jasonleeky]

I have an idea that when all jobs get taken over by AI, we would get a UBI which covers daily necessities and emergency with top ups based on selfless acts like community service, research and development and environmental preservation. That way, the people of the world would be innovation-driven, more empathetic and selfless instead of being selfishly driven by the pursuit of money, fame and success.

[kevinlipps]

Ubi would pay for itself in the long run. For example people are less likely going to prison if they know that they're not going to receive their Ubi during the periods of being locked up.

People would have to focus less on survival, which causes many issues in our society. One of the biggest motivations of crime is because of poverty. This doesn't mean all criminal activity is because of poverty but poverty is one of the major reasons why people commit crime.

[science]

Yer sure why not, money isn't backed by any matching wealth any more, there is no need to have poor people, if the work will be done by machines, automation would have to happen across the board though

[snorremortenkjeldsen]

Why hasn't an interview with 2020 presidential candidate Andrew Yang who has sound arguments for UBI ("The Freedom Dividend") in America based on data and logical reasoning been included?

[mikecountryman]

Glad the discussion is being had. It’s obvious that the economic realities of today have eroded what little economic security that most people had, and will continue. Acknowledging this is healthy.

[ED-lfwd]

Glad to see even The Economist reporting positively about UBI. Sooner or later UBI will come. We can either introduce it slowly and cautiously, or we wait until the economy as we know it collapses completely and we see ourselves forced to introduce it as a means of preventing total desaster.

[jvhee]

The question is how do we still give people a purpose in live. Life long learning is probably part of the answer. And more focus on exercice and healthy living.

[ZenLee]

2:12 'I'm the first to say that for three years of worth of work, I ended up with nearly half a billion dollars. That is not how the economy is supposed to work.'

[michaelhansen]

Maybe I missed it, but did this article even once mention where the funds would come from?

[billyb]

Everyone is going to move to where the free income is

[yooitscbce]

Andrew Yang 2020 PRESIDENT
Andrew Yang 2020 PRESIDENT
Andrew Yang 2020 PRESIDENT
Andrew Yang 2020 PRESIDENT

[ruzzelladrian]

Is this being implemented in California? If so, I'm not surprised. The reason why poverty and homelessness in the rise in California is not because of " the greedy rich " it's because the local government makes it hard for people to do business in California unless if they're the size Apple, Google, or Samsung. Small to medium businesses find it hard to survive in California's bureaucracy, setting up a small apartment to fill a market need has to go through so much obstacles, not just the local government but activists as well. Seriously, a 5 storey apartment project wasn't allowed to be built because it casts a shadow on a ghetto public school in San Francisco; " public health concern as children might not get enough sunlight because of the building's shadow. "

[scottyofeden]

I think I got this... So robots will do the work people once did? People won't need to work because they'll have free money to spend on the inexpensive products that the billionaires robots made? And since the government doesn't make money, the billionaires will be supplying the free money to the unemployed in order for them to buy something from the billionaire? And when the billionaire receives the money, he'll give it back to the people as free guaranteed income so they can continue to buy his products, so he could keep giving it back to them. Makes sense : ).