Recently the Labour Party, our main opposition party here in New Zealand, has begun a conversation on a Universal Basic Income. The basic idea is each adult citizen would receive a basic income. This is actually an old idea, my first introduction is in Ecotopia, Earnest Callenbach’s 1975 positive vision of a future. The UBI is an idea of growing debate. Links to two recent articles are below.
My view is that a universal basic income is a useful idea: it would reduce inequality between citizen groups; students, the sick, unemployed, and retired; would make entrepreneurship less risky, and would save the cost of managing conventional social security systems. Evidence shows, that a UBI works: citizens receiving the income are more likely to find work and more likely to work harder at it. I think introducing a UBI would be a positive move. I encourage readers to explore the idea.
Below are two commentaries.
Source: Four Lessons for Labour on How to Sell the UBI
