For over two years, former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang campaigned across the country, building a coalition along the political spectrum. The main promise driving Yang’s campaign was his “freedom dividend,” a guaranteed e of $1,000 per month for every American citizen. This “dividend” is a form of universal basic e, an idea that’s been around for centuries and one that’s gaining popularity, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. People who support versions of universal basic e say it would solve many problems, ranging from job loss brought on by developing technology to poverty. Has a universal basic e ever been tried before? What are the arguments for and against it? Rev. Ben Johnson, executive editor at the Acton Institute, joins the show to answer.

Study: Southern Ontario’s Basic e Experience

Overview of the final report of of the Seattle-Denver e maintenance experiment

“Marx vs. the universal basic e,” by Rev. Ben Johnson

“Pope Francis endorses universal basic e on Easter Sunday?”

“An Old Idea, Wrong As Ever,” by Milton Ezrati

“Nancy Pelosi says it’s ‘perhaps’ time to consider universal basic e pushed by Andrew Yang during his failed presidential campaign”

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