[DRAFT] Universal Basic Income Act

[Oceanialia]

Universal Basic Income Act
A resolution to increase basic welfare.

Category: Social Justice
Strength: Significant
Proposed by: Oceanialia

Description: The World Assembly,

RECOGNIZING that all economic systems, including but not limited to capitalism, communism, socialism, and mixed, are capable of promoting and carrying out industrial, commercial, and private development(s),

ACKNOWLEDGING not all persons have access to employment due to socioeconomic status, government restrictions, or other factors,

ADMITTING that the well-being of denizens is partially driven by financial & economical factors,

REALIZING that nations must be able to balance the needs of the economy with the needs of the people,

DECLARING that the provisions outlined in this Act shall not be withheld on the basis of ideology, notwithstanding that all nations are equal before this World Assembly,

HEREBY PROCLAIMS:

1. That it is recommended for all nations to instate a universal basic income program for their denizens via the private sector.

2. That the term "denizen" is defined as "a citizen and/or permanent resident of a certain nation."

3. That all said denizens are eligible for said universal basic income program.

4. That such universal basic income program complies with any existing financial standards instated by the World Assembly.

5. That each individual nation is not entitled to provide financial assistance of any kind to denizens of other nations, specifically under the provisions of this Act.

6. That each individual nation's said universal basic income program's periodic payment must be equivalent to the nation's minimum income per individual required to ensure a denizen's survival.

7. That each individual nation must deliver said universal basic income program's periodic payment on the first day of each month.

[Aureumterra]

"The World Assembly isn’t going to force us to give out free money! Opposed!"
-Ambassador Fjordsson

[Tinhampton]

May be illegal for duplicating or contradicting GA#344 "Minimum Standard of Living Act," Article 3.

Circular definitions are bad: GA#245 "Repeal "First Responder Protection Act.""

[Oceanialia]

You are correct about the circular definition, therefore I have edited it out.

May be illegal for duplicating or contradicting GA#344 "Minimum Standard of Living Act," Article 3.

On the topic of potentially duplicating GA#344 Article 3, which states:

"...member states are permitted to facilitate the provision of a minimum standard of living through public or private sector initiatives, including but not limited to a minimum wage, a living wage, a guaranteed minimum income, social security, unemployment insurance, subsidized housing, food stamps, or any combination thereof..."

I disagree, as the definition of a minimum wage is "the lowest wage permitted by law." Meanwhile, the definition of a living wage is "a wage high enough to maintain a normal standard of living," but this implies the person must work for the wage. The provisions of this Act would specify that people do not need to be employed to be eligible for universal basic income.

Furthermore, there is a difference between a guaranteed minimum income and universal basic income. Guaranteed minimal income is "a system of social welfare provision that guarantees that all citizens or families have an income sufficient to live on, provided they meet certain conditions." Universal basic income, on the other hand, periodically pays all people regardless of employment status or other factors. Therefore, the provisions of this Act would not duplicate GA#344.

[Tinhampton]

Read all of GA#344, please. Also, GA#412 "Public Health and Vaccinations Act," Article 3 might be problematic if UBI is distributed by the government instead of private-sector actors.

Any reason behind keeping the bracketed list in the RECOGNIZING clause, or any of the DECLARING clause (given that resolutions must apply to all nations regardless)? Does your proposal actually do anything, or is it legal for setting guidelines for UBI deployment?

[Imperium Anglorum]

No...

Member nations and their governmental subdivisions shall not make transfer payments or provide inessential services, except where otherwise required by World Assembly law...

I already considered that.

[Oceanialia]

No...

Member nations and their governmental subdivisions shall not make transfer payments or provide inessential services, except where otherwise required by World Assembly law...

I already considered that.

Do "governmental subdivisions" include the private sector?

[Nacrad]

Opposed. UBI, while sounding great at face value, is ridiculously difficult to balance: Give enough money to the least fortunate for them to have a decent life, and the rich gets the benefits when they obviously don't need them; give so little as to not give the rich too much advantage, and the purpose of UBI is defeated. What we arguably should do is to set a minimum wage

[Araraukar]

Therefore, the provisions of this Act would not duplicate GA#344.

OOC: They might contradict it, though, because it specifically allows nations to require people to work for their minimum living standards (as long as it's work for some public benefit or similar), while you would be wanting to give them that for free.

I wish it were that simple, I really do, but at least in RL, unless there also came severe governmental control of rent/food/utilities prices, any additions to any minimum income, would soon be lost by the poorest, to rising prices of everything necessary for life. That's an actual problem in RL, so unless solved, "throw moar money at people" would not actually in the long run result in people having more money to spend after the necessities had been paid.

[Grays Harbor]

Opposed. UBI, while sounding great at face value, is ridiculously difficult to balance: Give enough money to the least fortunate for them to have a decent life, and the rich gets the benefits when they obviously don't need them; give so little as to not give the rich too much advantage, and the purpose of UBI is defeated. What we arguably should do is to set a minimum wage

You mean something like this?

[Nacrad]

Yes, in fact, I find that resolution better, it's much less restrictive. Maybe I have a common law mentality, but I'd vot in favour of that one.

[Deacarsia]

I strongly oppose this.

[Alraibris]

"The Shazbotdom Empire, nor any of it's Colonial Holdings, will never support a Resolution that will mandate that we pay people who are lazy. If a nation needs help with job creation, then they may ask for assistance from international authorities in an effort to create trade deals that will cause job creation, but that is it."

Mr. Antuan D. Flaberghast
Imperial Ambassador to the
World Assembly - General Assembly