Imagine a world in which not one more child dies of starvation or preventable diseases. Imagine a world in which no child is forced to work instead of going to school. Imagine a world in which no one has to worry about being homeless or going to bed hungry. Imagine a world where no one has to work in conditions they don’t want to work in. Imagine a world where if you don’t like your boss, you can quit your job. Imagine a world free of largely free crime because no one is poor. Imagine a world without poverty.
The amazing thing is that, that world is actually possible. It is not only possible but it wouldn’t even be that difficult to achieve. One law could make it all possible.
No, this is not some sort of communist utopia. We don’t even have to change anything about the way we govern, any of the other laws we have, or the basic structure of the economy. We just need to add one law. And in many countries it is just a matter of expanding a program that already exists.
The law that would make this all possible is called a “universal basic income”.
A universal basic income would be an amount of money given to each citizen enough to cover their basic needs for food, housing, and shelter. Many other social welfare programs could be eliminated because a universal basic income would make them unnecessary. The money from these other programs would go into funding a universal basic income. Taxes would need to be raised a bit but not tremendously.
It is absolutely possible to enact a universal basic income. Imagine that world without poverty. Now let’s stop imagining and let’s make it happen!
- Gaura Rader is a teacher and blogger based in Florida.
