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The Greatest Hurdle to a Basic Income
Efforts to promote a Universal Basic Income (UBI) focus on education, specifically on the benefits of unconditional cash payments. While the positive societal impact is crucial, we ignore the political realities.
The opposition to a basic income results from the same labor market dynamic that led us to the need for one.
The System is Broken
Few workers will dispute the capitalist system of exchanging labor for pay is broken. Voters may not grasp the reasons for income inequality — the highest it’s been in nearly a century, but they understand the need for a radical change.
While the causes may be misunderstood, a lowered standard of living usually drives home the point. Once a satisfactory explanation is given, most workers will support the principle.
Few surviving on a shrinking paycheck will argue against any proposal improving their financial prospects. The will not reject greater security regardless of how unconventional the idea.
