Over at the Washington Post they discuss how Andrew Yang’s proposal for a Universal Basic Income is being discussed again, in light of the pandemic.

As we have seen with COVID-19, some disasters can have economic components to them – when it safest for people to stay at home. In countries with a low focus on social security, that can be a major issue. It is hard to tell people to stay at home if they need food or money. It also increases the odds of looting or rebellion.

Even in countries with advanced economies, getting the required funds to people is having problems, with bureaucracy and the need for new systems to be created.

Having a UBI already in place means that nothing needs to be done, in terms of citizens having what they need to survive. The UBI may already be sufficient, if they are using the Unism model, or they simply to need to raise the amount each person receives.

UBIs also have an aspect that is rarely discussed – security. People want their governments to make them feel protected and safe, and receiving enough to get by, no matter what may happen, feels great.