Universal Basic Income: Evaluation and Social Change Analysis

This assignment analyzes the concept of Universal Basic Income (UBI), exploring its potential benefits such as improved financial situations for individuals and its challenges, like potential shifts in societal structures and workforce participation. The document examines the impact of UBI on social service work, suggesting it could empower social workers and provide financial security. It lists ways UBI could facilitate social change, including supporting the sharing economy and altering cultural norms. The assignment includes an elevator pitch to advocate for UBI and outlines evaluation methods, focusing on recipients' spending habits, community impacts, and policy implementation. It references supporting materials like a film and an article to formulate responses to the assignment questions. The document also covers the arguments for and against UBI and includes references to relevant academic sources.

Running head: UBI 1
UBI
Name
Institution

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UBI
Benefits of Universal Basic Income
A basic income cannot be cut and thus obtaining a job as well as extra income would
often make a person’s financial situation better. Also, work is often rewarded. The next
advantage is that instead of a ceiling a UBI creates a platform from which individuals may boost
themselves up. The UBI remains not essentially expensive. From the film, a UBI of one thousand
pound per month in the United States might essentially grow the growth domestic product by
twelve percentages for 8 years since it would allow poor individuals to spend huge amount of
money as well as increase the demand.
Challenges of a UBI
The idea of UBI fundamentally changes how most society remain constructed. Also, it
forces numerous individuals into spending most part of their time on different things they do not
care about. For instance, in the year 2016 only thirty three percent of the United States workers
participated at work, sixteen percent was actively unhappy as well as 51 percent were physically
available at work. UBI might give the poor people adequate leverage to seek for better pay as
well as working conditions. From the film, we found that a UBI does not address all the issues
relating to equality such as rent.
Is The UBI A Good Idea?
Though Universal Basic Income makes a good slogan, it remains a poorly designed
policy. Basic economic theory suggests that taxes on income remain distortionary inasmuch as
they discourage investment and work (Cowan, 2017). Furthermore, governments ought to
prevent transfers to the same individuals from they collect revenue, but that remains exactly what
a universal basic income would do. Also, the biggest concern of UBI is that it encourages many
employees to stop working. If individuals are not working, there remains less taxable income.

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Nevertheless, individuals may decide to working for reasons that mainly benefit society, for
example, getting a better education.
What Impact Might A Universal Basic Income Have On Social Service Work?
Universal basic income allows social workers to support families and protect vulnerable
children (Reed & Lansley, 2016). For instance, Universal basic income would allow care-
workers to support families, encourage care work within our homes. Also, UBI has brought the
income of social workers above the poverty line. This has also balance the inequality between
the rich and the poor in different countries around the world. It is also true that UBI has given
social workers enough security to possess bargaining power
List 3 Ways in Which A UBI Would Facilitate Social Change
Some of the ways in which a UBI would facilitate social change include:
It would support the nascent social sector of the sharing economy. Secondly, it would
allow for the creation and transformation of things that deal with consumption and production in
the society (Duffy & Elder-Woodward, 2019). Third, a UBI would also alter some of the cultural
norms and values. For example, it would bring laziness in the society which was never allowed
in the traditional societies.
Based On Your Answers Above, Please Write In 1 Paragraph an Elevator Pitch to
Sell UBI to Someone Resistant To the Idea
People should accept a UBI because successful implementation of the idea would mean
improvements in physical health, food security, stress, education, housing, mental health, and
employment (Kearney & Mogstad, 2019). The idea will allow many individuals to have freedom
of going back to school or remain at home to care for their close relatives. Also, a UBI is a good
idea because it allows people to have financial assistance that reduces bureaucracy.
What Methods Would You Use To Evaluate Whether A UBI Is Working?

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First of all, I would look at whether recipients of UBI spent money on their own training
or education. These behavioral measurements would clearly show whether the Universal Basic
Income payments empowered individuals economically (Van Parijs & Vanderborght, 2017). I
would look at the impacts of the Universal Basic Income on broader communities. Also, I would
evaluate whether a universal basic income is working by looking at the policy implementation
and the social effect of the idea to the society or country as a whole. This shall give me chance to
find out where things went awry as well as where they went well. I would also observe the
actions of the people to determine whether UBI is working.
References
Cowan, S. (2017). UBI–Universal Basic Income is an Unbelievably Bad Idea.

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Duffy, S., & Elder-Woodward, J. (2019). Basic income plus: Is UBI consistent with the goals of
the independent living movement?. Social Alternatives, 38(2).
Kearney, M. S., & Mogstad, M. (2019). Universal basic income (UBI) as a policy response to
current challenges. Report, Aspen Institute, 1-19.
Reed, H., & Lansley, S. (2016). Universal Basic Income: An idea whose time has come?.
London: Compass.
Van Parijs, P., & Vanderborght, Y. (2017). Basic income: A radical proposal for a free society
and a sane economy. Harvard University Press.