Could Canada's 'Basic Income' System Work In Buffalo?

Free money, eh? So Business Insider reports that Canada will soon implement a "basic income" system, but what does that mean?

Imagine having your food, clothing, transportation and utilities all paid for for you. WHAT? Yes, it is a thing, and Finland and the Netherlands have already started.

Now, you're probably thinking what I'm thinking, "Wouldn't this make the populace lazy? Who would want to work at all?! And does this include endless wings....?" But the article from Business Insider provides some interesting results from a study:

"While one knee-jerk reaction is to argue that free money creates a lazy working class, research suggests the opposite is true. Supported by the financial safety net, people in one 2013 study actually worked 17% longer hours and received 38% higher earnings when basic income was given a shot."

What do you think? Could a "basic income" work in Buffalo? Or would Western New Yorkers take the system as a chance to work less and eat more? Leave a comment!

Canada's basic income would ensure "everyone an income sufficient to meet basic needs and live with dignity, regardless of work status", according to BasicIncomeCanada.org. Apparently a number of principles would be considered, weighed and balanced if the BIG occurred. Those principles would include "universality of and limited conditionality of access to basic income", "adequacy", "autonomy" and "dignity", according to BasicIncomeCanada.org.

To learn more about Canada's basic income guarantee, click here.

For the full article from Business Insider regarding basic income click here.