Underwater
by: Emma Liu
These days, we don’t leave the house without a heavily stuffed wallet. Without spare change jingling in our pockets. Without a credit card ready to swipe and make a purchase at any moment. In a society built around money and economy, the old saying “money makes the world go round” couldn’t be more fitting. However, as workers, laborers, and all others continue to struggle to keep themselves and their families floating above the rising waters of bills and household payments, requests for financial aid seem to be stronger than ever. Amid all the demands, a calm boat titled Universal Basic Income (UBI) sets sail atop churning waters. UBI, “a program in which everybody receives a set amount of money regularly” (Peters), drifts over to those in need, helping them out of their endless sea of missing payments. Though some may believe that people can fend for themselves and get by without help, sharp increases in overall hardship among the disadvantaged reveal differently. By ending poverty, increasing worker flexibility, and raising mental health, Universal Basic Income provides many benefits to society.
Each day, as poverty pushes many on and over the edge, Universal Basic Income helps to support low-income families. An article from Investopedia found, “A guaranteed payment from the government can help ensure that those left behind by this economic transformation can avoid poverty” (Peters). As the world progresses, many jobs are getting replaced by robots or other forms of technology. This results in an unemployment spike, which will leave many struggling to make ends meet. With UBI, these people could receive money supplements to help with their finances, which also lets them continue helping their families. The money from Universal Basic Income is enough to cover day-to-day expenses while still allowing people to take time off from work to find new jobs. Generally, people transitioning from one workspace to another encounter a period of unemployment. During this time, UBI can act as a pillar to keep them from facing poverty. Moreover, in a current investigation, “A project that provided 100 Namibian dollars per month (US$7) to around 1,000 people in the village of Otjivero… saw childhood malnutrition drop from 42% to 10%” (Arnold). In today’s world, malnutrition is a direct result of the inability to pay for food and additional supplies. Many people do not have the stable income needed to place food on the table each month. UBI allows those families to get the money they need to provide meals, clothing, and other supplies for their children. Oftentimes, children born into poverty are permanently stuck there. By giving out UBI, poverty-stricken families can take both themselves and their children out of the cycle of poverty and give them the rightful quality of life.
With long sleepless nights and inadequate work shifts, Universal Basic Income also gives underpaid workers more flexibility. An article by NPR states, “The stipends [UBI] helped recipients stretch resources to cover needs like caring for aging or ill family members, school or sports supplies, and transportation to and from doctor's appointments that they might otherwise have skipped” (Treisman). For many, financial shortfalls limit their ability to properly attend to everyday needs such as scheduling regular wellness check-ups and taking days off to care for elderly family members. Without an adequate amount of money, people choose to ignore their personal needs to fulfill other costs, such as housing and medical appointments. Living each day with the sole purpose of making enough money to meet payment deadlines, these people are diminishing themselves and lowering their self-worth, as they are constantly putting finance and bills ahead of them. More importantly, these financial difficulties limit their ability to improve their current situations. A participant from a trial run by the Stockton Economic Empowerment Demonstration (SEED) for Universal Basic Income claims, “my life converted 360 degrees… because I have more time and money to study… to achieve my goals” (SEED). The money from Universal Basic Income allowed people like this participant to better their lives, as they are able to apply for more substantial positions by attending training and internships. In turn, this led to better employment opportunities. With every cent earned going towards monthly payments and other expenses, most underpaid workers do not have time to branch out and take risks. With UBI acting as a safety net, workers can have the confidence to reveal their inner strengths and set goals to improve themselves. Instead of only having enough to get by, underpaid workers can make decisions, take risks, and dream big to spread their wings and take flight.
In the younger generation, Universal Basic Income continues to boost mental health and physical wellbeing. In the town of Dauphin, when low-income families were given UBI, teenagers spent an extra year in school (Arnold). Increased school attendance from UBI signifies that young children and teens are healthy and in the proper mental state to go to school. Students must be comfortable, happy, and physically well to carry on the additional load of school work, revealing that UBI can greatly raise mental and physical health. Arnold continues, “Dauphin also saw that mental health improved… and hospitalizations declined by 8.5%” (Arnold). Conventionally, people believe that “money does not bring happiness”. However, with raises in mental health, the participants are happier and more mentally stable than they’ve ever been. Decreased hospitalizations also indicate that the participants were safer and more secure. Oftentimes, money struggles lead to depression and or abuse. Living in constant worry of money causes many to have no choice but to depend on or engage with unfamiliar and unsafe people. Without financial strain, people are less likely to be victims of assault or manipulation, as they are able to take meaningful steps out of difficult situations. Unlike forced dependence, they can have a sense of safety and trust with those they willingly choose to be with. For many, UBI offers the chance for a safe, happy, and healthy life, allowing them to be and enjoy the best versions of themselves.
Yet despite the enormous potential of Universal Basic Income, opponents of UBI still point out its weighty cost. An article from Investopedia states, “$1,000-a-month for every adult would cost the government $2.8 trillion each year” (Peters). Though this appears to be a hefty amount of money, the actual cost of UBI is almost always heavily overstated. Basic Income Earth Network (BIEN), reveals, “The cost of a Universal Basic Income (UBI) is often greatly exaggerated by a variety of misunderstandings” (Widerquist). In truth, UBI is much less of a strain on the government than common belief. The money going into Universal Basic Income mostly comprises taxes, meaning that the money from taxpayers cycles back into the community to help balance the distribution of wealth and benefit society. Instead of aimlessly collecting taxes, the money can instead be put to use in helping the underprivileged regain their financial footing. Relying on tax money also puts little to no pressure on the nation as a whole, since the money is coming from everyday people to help others and benefit all of humanity.
Even with all the advantages of Universal Basic Income, some still fear that UBI could lessen the motivation to work. An article from EbscoHost argues, “UBI… discourages work, particularly in entry-level and service jobs” (Dorau, Bethany Groff). On the surface, UBI may seem to dissuade workers, as there would be no need to work if money could be directly given to them. In spite of those concerns, studies of UBI have shown that “Those who received a guaranteed income of $500 a month went from part-time to full-time employment at more than twice the rate of those who didn’t” (SEED). Simply put, money greatly encourages employees to reach new limits. If workers are given financial aid, they will be handed a wider range of opportunities in the working field, allowing them to feel more motivated to find suitable jobs and accomplish goals. The additional money from UBI also inspires workers to both improve themselves and aim for stronger careers. More often than not, part-time employment indicates that workers haven’t truly discovered jobs they feel comfortable and passionate about. However, money has always acted as a key to new doors, and Universal Basic Income can help the underprivileged open doors and explore opportunities that they have never had the financial ability to discover. In turn, this allows them to achieve full-time employment in careers they love and enjoy.
In a world full of crisis and instability, Universal Basic Income is perhaps humanity’s first step toward action and global equity, as it ends poverty and increases both worker flexibility and mental health. Though the idea of UBI has garnered widespread attention in recent years, the central idea has been around for much longer. In the 16th century, English philosopher Thomas More mentioned the idea in one of his most accomplished works, followed by Martin Luther King in his book, Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community, and more recently, by former Democratic candidate Andrew Yang (Peters). With a lengthy history of support for UBI, there's no doubt that people have long known that wealth and well-being are not being shared with all. As our world continues to advance, the question we now face is not whether to address the building issue, but how. For us to resolve the fundamental cause of inequity of all forms, we must provide both strong and direct support to help the disadvantaged stay afloat. By giving out UBI, our solution is right in front of us, and we can all hold hands to pull each other out of the sea and onto a better and stronger world.
Works Cited
Arnold, Carrie. “Pandemic Speeds Largest Test yet of Universal Basic Income.” Nature, vol. 583, no. 7817, July 2020, pp. 502–3, https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-020-01993-3.
Dorau, Bethany Groff. “Universal Basic Income (UBI): Overview: Points of View Reference Center Home.” Ebscohost.com, 2020, web.p.ebscohost.com/pov/detail/detail?vid=0&sid=b4bbd720-cf00-4586-b964-651033c6d284%40redis&bdata=JnNpdGU9cG92LWxpdmU%3d#AN=146649471&db=pwh.
Peters, Katelyn. “Universal Basic Income (UBI).” Investopedia, 21 May 2022, www.investopedia.com/terms/b/basic-income.asp.
SEED, Employment. “SEED.” SEED, 2014, www.stocktondemonstration.org/employment.
Treisman, Rachel. “California Program Giving $500 No-Strings-Attached Stipends Pays Off, Study Finds.” NPR.org, 4 Mar. 2021, www.npr.org/2021/03/04/973653719/california-program-giving-500-no-strings-attached-stipends-pays-off-study-finds.
Widerquist, Karl. “The BIG Misunderstanding about the Cost of Universal Basic Income | BIEN — Basic Income Earth Network.” Basicincome.org, 23 May 2017, basicincome.org/news/2017/05/real-cost-universal-basic-income/.
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