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WHY THE WORLD NEEDS UBI
By:Bro.Ink Isaiah Devkaa
*Benue State Director General*
20-03-2021
BEFORE WE PROCEED
WHAT IS A UNIVERSAL BASIC INCOME (UBI)?
UBI IS A GOVERNMENT OR NONE GOVERNMENT PROGRAM IN WHICH EVERY ADULT CITIZEN RECEIVES A SET AMOUNT OF MONEY ON A REGULAR BASIS. THE GOALS OF A BASIC INCOME SYSTEM ARE TO ALLEVIATE POVERTY AND REPLACE OTHER NEED-BASED SOCIAL PROGRAMS THAT POTENTIALLY REQUIRE GREATER BUREAUCRATIC INVOLVEMENT.
THE IDEA OF UNIVERSAL BASIC INCOME HAS GAINED MOMENTUM IN THE U.S. AS AUTOMATION INCREASINGLY REPLACES WORKERS IN MANUFACTURING AND OTHER SECTORS OF THE ECONOMY.
UNDERSTANDING WHAT IS KNOWN AS UBI.
THE IDEA OF PROVIDING A BASIC INCOME TO ALL MEMBERS OF SOCIETY GOES BACK CENTURIES. THE 16TH CENTURY ENGLISH PHILOSOPHER AND STATESMAN THOMAS MORE MENTIONS THE IDEA IN HIS BEST-KNOWN WORK, “UTOPIA.” THOMAS PAINE, A PAMPHLETEER WHOSE IDEAS HELPED SPUR THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, PROPOSED A TAX PLAN IN WHICH REVENUES WOULD PROVIDE A STREAM OF GOVERNMENT INCOME “TO EVERY PERSON, RICH OR POOR.”
AND MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR., PROPOSED “GUARANTEED INCOME” IN HIS BOOK “WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE: CHAOS OR COMMUNITY?” PUBLISHED IN 1967
SUPPORTERS OF UNIVERSAL BASIC INCOME BELIEVE A GUARANTEED PAYMENT FROM THE GOVERNMENT OR ORGANIZATION CAN HELP ENSURE THAT THOSE WHO ARE LEFT BEHIND BY THIS ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATION AVOID POVERTY. EVEN IF GOVERNMENT-SOURCED INCOME ISN’T ENOUGH TO LIVE ON, IT COULD THEORETICALLY SUPPLEMENT THE INCOME FROM THE LOWER-WAGE OR PART-TIME JOBS THEY ARE STILL ABLE TO OBTAIN.
PROPONENTS ALSO BELIEVE THAT A UNIVERSAL PAYMENT SYSTEM WOULD MAKE IT EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO RECEIVE ASSISTANCE WHO ARE IN NEEDS BUT HAVE TROUBLE QUALIFYING FOR OTHER GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS. SOME AMERICANS SEEKING DISABILITY INSURANCE PAYMENTS, FOR EXAMPLE, MAY LACK ACCESS TO THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM, THEREBY HINDERING THEIR ABILITY TO VERIFY THEIR IMPEDIMENT.
THE SPREAD OF COVID-19 HAS FUNDAMENTALLY SHAKEN ECONOMIES, AND PEOPLE ARE BEGINNING TO QUESTION EXISTING ECONOMIC MODELS; THIS PANDEMIC HAS REALLY THROWN UP THE EXISTING LEVELS OF BOTH INJUSTICE AND INEQUALITY WORLDWIDE. SO BOLDER IDEAS ARE NEEDED INCLUDING SOME, THAT PREVIOUSLY, WERE PUSHED ASIDE
I’M SAYING THAT, IF THERE ISN’T A MINIMUM INCOME FLOOR TO FALL BACK ON WHEN THIS KIND OF MASSIVE SHOCK HITS, PEOPLE LITERALLY HAVE NO OPTIONS. WITHOUT THE MEANS TO SUSTAIN THEMSELVES, THEY ARE FAR MORE LIKELY TO SUCCUMB TO HUNGER OR OTHER DISEASES WELL BEFORE COVID-19 GETS TO THEM.
MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF PEOPLE ARE NOW OUT OF A JOB. A HUGE PROPORTION OF PEOPLE WORK IN THE INFORMAL SECTOR, WITHOUT A CONTRACT, INSURANCE, OR ANY KIND OF JOB SECURITY. ADDED TO THIS ARE DISPLACED PERSONS, REFUGEES, AND UNDOCUMENTED PEOPLE WHO WERE NEVER PART OF ANY FORMAL SYSTEM TO BEGIN WITH.
IT IS SO ESSENTIAL TO BRING BACK A CONVERSATION ABOUT UNIVERSAL BASIC INCOME, AND TO MAKE IT A CENTRAL PART OF THE FISCAL STIMULUS PACKAGES THAT COUNTRIES ARE PLANNING FOR.
UNDERSTANDING WHAT UBI IS.
NOW THE QUESTION IS:
WHY THE WORLD NEEDS UBI?
THERE ARE SEVERAL EVIDENCE AND HAPPENINGS WHICH PROVES THAT THE WORLD NEED UNIVERSAL BASIC INCOME (UBI).
IN 2016 HANSON ROBOTICS, A HONG KONG-BASED ENGINEERING AND ROBOTICS COMPANY INVENTED ARTIFICAL INTELLIGENT HUMANOID ROBOT. THE HUMANOID MASTERPIECE WENT ON TO RECEIVE SAUDI ARABIAN CITIZENSHIP. THE ROBOT SURPRISED THE PUBLIC WITH HER ABILITY TO HOLD INTELLIGENT CONVERSATIONS, WITHOUT HAVING PRIOR INFORMATION OF THE QUESTIONS THAT FORMED THE DIALOGUE IT HAD WITH THE PRESS.
IN A JOINT PARTNERSHP, FORD MOTORS & AGILITY ROBOTICS HAD GONE ON TO REALEASE AN A.I-DRIVEN WELFARE AND SERVICE DELIVERY ROBOT TEAM. THESE TWO MACHINES CAN HELP DELIVER A PACAGE FROM WAREHOUSE TO DOOR, WITHOUT HUMAN ASSISTANCE.
A GOOGLE ALPHA GO MACHINE LEARNING A.I. ALGORITHM, WHICH DEFEATED THE WORLD’S BEST GO PLAYER IN A GO MARCH. THESE EXAMPLES ARE SIGNS OF A.I. ENHANCED ROBOTICS WITH PROMISES OF A BETTER LABOR ALTERNATIVE IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
NOW I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT 30% OF CURRENT JOBS WILL BE LOST TO A.I AND MACHINE LEARNED ROBOTS, IN FEW YEARS TO COME. AS A RESULT OF THAT THERE WILL BE LITTLE OR NO JOBS FOR TOMORROW’S LABOR FORCE.
THIS ARE FEW EXAMPLES OF HOW JOBS ARE GRADUALLY LOST TO A.I & MACHINES, YOU CAN MENTION OTHERS.
THERE ARE SO MANY HAPPENINGS IN THE WORLD WHERE A.I & MACHINES ARE TAKING OVER HUMAN JOBS
CLEARLY THERE WILL BE HIGH LEVEL OF UNEMPLOYMENT AND CERTAINLY NO GOVERNMENT JOB POLICY WILL BE ABLE TO STOP IT. THIS IS BECAUSE IT WILL BECOME EVER MORE COST EFFICIENT TO HAVE AN A.I OR A.I DRIVEN ROBOT EXECUTE CERTAIN COMPLEX TASKS, THAN IT WILL BE FOR HUMANS.
THE ONLY SOLUTION TO THE ECONOMIC CRISES IS THE INTRODUCTION OF A SYSTEM THAT ENSURES THAT THE OUTPUT OF THESE MACHINES ARE SOMEWHAT DISTRIBUTED ACROSS THE POPULATION I.E. PEOPLE WILL HAVE TO BE COMPENSATED FOR BEING HUMANS (UNIVERSAL CHILD BASIC INCOME), NOT JUST FOR WORKING.
LET’S SEE HOW IT’S OF BENEFIT INTRODUCING UBI TO THE WORLD.
?SUPPORTS UNEMPLOYED WORKERS AND BUSINESS IN A TIME OF CRISIS. IN RESPONSE TO CORONAVIRUS WITH ECONOMIES SHUTTING DOWN. A UNIVERSAL BASIC INCOME IS OPTIMAL RESPONSE FOR DEALING WITH WIDESPREAD UNEMPLOYMENT AND FALL IN INCOME.
?MEANS-TESTED BENEFITS ARE BECOMING INCREASINGLY COMPLEX AND CUMBERSOME. THERE ARE COSTS – BOTH FINANCIAL AND TIME – FOR PEOPLE TO APPLY AND RECEIVE BENEFITS. EFFICIENCY SAVINGS FROM ABOLISHING THE BUREAUCRACY BEHIND MEANS-TESTED BENEFITS WOULD ENABLE MORE TO BE SPENT ON ACTUAL BENEFITS.
?INCREASINGLY FLEXIBLE LABOUR MARKETS MAKE CONVENTIONAL BENEFITS MORE LIMITED. MODERN LABOUR MARKETS HAVE SEEN A RISE IN SELF-EMPLOYMENT, FLEXIBLE HOURS AND ZERO-HOUR CONTRACTS. THIS MEANS THAT PEOPLE CAN END UP RECEIVING VERY LOW INCOME IN CERTAIN MONTHS, BUT NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR ANY WORK-RELATED OR UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT CLASSED AS UNEMPLOYED OR NORMAL EMPLOYMENT.
?INCENTIVES TO WORK. A PROBLEM WITH CONVENTIONAL MEANS-TESTED BENEFITS IS THAT IT CAN CREATE A DISINCENTIVE TO WORK LONGER HOURS OR GET A BETTER-PAID JOB BECAUSE THE MARGINAL GAIN IN INCOME IS RELATIVELY LOW (HIGH MARGINAL TAX RATE). THIS IS A FORM OF THE POVERTY TRAP. A CITIZEN’S INCOME ENSURES ANY EXTRA INCOME FROM WORK IS KEPT AND NOT LOST THROUGH WITHDRAWN MEANS-TESTED BENEFITS.
?PREVENTS PEOPLE FROM SLIPPING THROUGH GAPS. THE INCREASINGLY COMPLEX BENEFITS SYSTEM REQUIRES PEOPLE TO KNOW WHAT BENEFITS THEY ARE ENTITLED TO AND HOW TO APPLY. THERE MAY BE TIME DELAYS IN RECEIVING BENEFITS. SOME PEOPLE MAY BECOME HOMELESS BECAUSE OF DELAYS IN RECEIVING BENEFITS. A UNIVERSAL CITIZENS’ INCOME WILL PREVENT THESE GAPS AND HELP TO REDUCE TEMPORARY CASH FLOW CRISIS WHICH COULD HAVE ADVERSE LONG-TERM EFFECTS.
?SUPPORTS PEOPLE WHO FULFILL SOCIALLY BENEFICIAL TASKS. A UNIVERSAL CITIZENS INCOME WOULD OFFER SUPPORT TO MOTHERS BRING UP CHILDREN OR PEOPLE ACTING AS CARE ASSISTANTS.
?HEALTH BENEFITS. A UNIVERSAL BASIC INCOME COULD HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON REDUCING MEDICAL COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH TYPES OF POVERTY AND HOMELESSNESS, E.G. HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, TYPE II DIABETES.
?SUPPORTS ENTREPRENEURSHIP. SOMEBODY WHO WISHES TO WORK ON NEW BUSINESS IDEAS COULD USE A CITIZEN’S INCOME TO SUPPORT THEIR INITIATIVE. CONVENTIONAL BENEFITS WOULD NOT BE GIVEN TO PEOPLE WORKING ON SELF-EMPLOYMENT STARTUPS. ALTERNATIVELY, IT MAY GIVE PEOPLE MORE TIME TO FIND THE MOST SUITABLE LONG-TERM JOB – RATHER THAN RUSHING INTO THE FIRST JOB WHICH COMES ALONG. THIS COULD INCREASE THE LONG-TERM EFFICIENCY OF THE LABOUR MARKET.
?REDUCES NEED FOR THE GOVERNMENTS CONTROVERSIAL CURRENT TESTS AND SANCTIONS RELATED TO EVIDENCE OF WORK-SEARCH ACTIVITY
WITH ALL NUMEROUS BENEFITS YOU WILL ALL AGREE THAT THE THE WORLD NEEDS UBI.
TODAY AND NOW INKSNATION HAS COME WITH A SYSTEM TO SOLVE THE CURRENT AND FUTURE PROBLEM OF ECONOMIC CRISES WHERE EVERYBODY WILL GET PAID AS UBI. WHILE ARTIFICAL INTELLIGENCE IMPROVES THE WORKING ENVIRONMENT.
BEFORE THIS CAN BE ACHIEVED WE HAVE COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS SYSTEM TO BACK WELL ENOUGH WITH AT LEAST A SECONDARY CM (I.E. 18 MILLION LIVING NODES) AT A TOTAL RESERVE CAP OF $14.4 TRILLION.
AT THIS POINT PINKOIN WILL PAY EVERY BODY IN ANY PART OF THE WORLD YOU LIVE IN, A MINIMUM OF $330 MONTHLY FOR LIFE AS UCBI.
WITH THIS SYSTEM THE PRESENCE OF A JOB IN THE LIFE OF HUMANS, OR THE LACK THEREOF, IS NOT ALL THAT NECESSARY. IN OTHER WORDS, GETTING A JOB DOESN’T MEAN YOU WILL LIVE OR DIE OR YOU WILL BE REDUCED TO ABJECT POVERTY.
IN CONCLUSION
THE INTERESTING THING ABOUT UBI IS THAT IT GAINS SUPPORT FROM BOTH THE LEFT AND RIGHT. THE LEFT SUPPORTS ITS AIM TO CREATE A MORE EGALITARIAN SOCIETY. THERE IS SUPPORT FROM THE RIGHT WHO DISLIKE THE DISINCENTIVES AND BUREAUCRACY OF MEANS TESTED BENEFITS.
FROM A PERSONAL VIEW, I LIKE IT BECAUSE MY LODGER IS ON A ZERO-HOUR CONTRACT – HE OFTEN DOESN’T HAVE MONEY TO PAY RENT, BUT HE IS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR ANY BENEFITS. A UNIVERSAL BASIC INCOME WOULD BE GOOD TO PROVIDE A MINIMUM INCOME GUARANTEE.
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