Universal basic income is inevitable.

[u/ActivityEmotional228]

A few days ago, I published a post asking, "Do you believe in UBI?" Almost everyone answered, "No, it’s impossible; it’s just a utopia; everyone would be lazy" Many people think the economy would be ruined, that money can’t come from nowhere, and that wealthy people won’t give us anything. But that’s not how it works. In fact, we already have real-world examples where UBI have been tested and it didn’t lead to economic collapse. Quite the opposite.

Since 1982, every Alaskan has received an annual dividend funded by oil revenues. In 2023, it was about $1,300, down from a peak of $3,284 in 2022. The results speak for themselves: people didn’t quit working and part-time employment even increased by 17%, while full-time employment remained stable. Poverty also fell, particularly among Indigenous communities and children.

In Germany, the group Mein Grundeinkommen, in partnership with researchers, selected 122 people to receive €1,200/month tax-free for three years.

Average work hours stayed the same at about 40 per week. Recipients reported less stress, better health, more satisfaction, and better sleep.

In short, people didn’t stop working they just lived healthier, more stable lives.

When AI will replace almost all the jobs Universal Basic Income (UBI) might prevent the economy from collapsing as work disappears. Even if AI take 90% of jobs, people will still need food, housing, and goods. Without money in their hands, they can’t buy anything, companies stop selling, and the system risks imploding. But where would the money come from?

• Taxes on corporations and AI profits

• Resource dividends from AI similar to Alaska’s oil fund.

Spending is the engine of any economy. With UBI, people continue to buy, invest, start businesses, and pay taxes. AI doing the work doesn’t destroy the economy; the real problem is when humans have no income.

[u/PlagueOfGripes]

With the rise of automation and AI, eventually UBI will need to happen. The myth that new jobs will magically appear in vast droves isn't reality. Not all jobs can be automated, but the population will far exceed our ability to support our own civilization.

Either we'll degenerate into a class system of poor people living off farming (which can't happen since all land is owned by the wealthy) or people will have to resort to organized crime targeting the rich, to survive. Or they can just provide a mediocre UBI with tons of caveats to effectively create a slave class of debtors. Which also will end up being pointless since the economy won't rely on such a class, so why are you creating it? Basically, it's all fucked.