Should Stimulus Checks Last Forever? | Arguments for and Against Universal Basic Income

The Thread explores both sides of policy arguments using well-researched data, facts, and arguments, highlighting the common thread of agreement.

HISTORY OF UBI:

Universal Basic Income is not a new concept. One of the earliest cited discussions of UBI was in 1797, when Thomas Paine outlined options for a lump sum to be granted to all citizens at adulthood. More recently, Martin Luther King Jr. and leaders in the civil rights movement called for a form of guaranteed income to combat widespread poverty and unemployment. In the 2020 election primaries, Universal Basic Income was again brought to the forefront as one candidate called for a $1,000 per month “freedom dividend” which would go to every adult in the United States. The argument is that we need to protect employees from unavoidable job losses due to advanced technologies and automation.