The Rich Already Have a UBI (Jacobin)

The Universal Basic Income, a concept that would make cash payments to every individual in the country, has gained prominence among policymakers in reaction to the automation of jobs where advancements in technology are displacing humans from paid work. The eventual effect will be high levels of unemployment and large swaths of people unable to earn a living - thus, the idea to simply provide everyone with a basic income.

Of course, there have been many critiques of this idea, and a common point is that if people are paid without working for it, they will become lazy and unproductive. A primary problem with that point, aside from its inherent class and racial discriminations, is that a form of the Universal Basic Income already exists. And the rich are the ones who benefit. Matt Bruenig at Jacobin makes the case - read the article here.