Towards a More Equitable and Just World: A Case for Universal Basic Income
Keywords:
economic insecurity, human rights, economic freedom, universal basic income, safety nets, basic income security, leaving no one behindAbstract
The global economy has created an unprecedented amount of wealth. The top 10% of wealth holders own 82% of global wealth, while the bottom-half account for less than 1%. Such wealth disparity may be attributed to the dominant economic model’s focus on accumulating profit over providing equitable and secure lives for all. This lack of basic income security and extreme poverty is a violation of economic rights of citizens in many countries. The global spree of technical automation further exacerbated this situation through job loss. The provision of universal basic income could possibly serve as a moral and sustainable solution to ensure that no one is denied the basic income requirement for food, shelter and medical care. It is the right political choice for governments and those in authority to ensure that every citizen has the opportunity to live in dignity and economic freedom through progressive realization of basic income security.
