Top 5 Reasons For Libertarians to Support Universal Basic Income

3. If applied properly, UBI could increase employment

A notable problem with UBI is just how many things have to go right for it to work. It would be dishonest to ignore this problem. However, libertarianism is all about big ideas to improve lives. If we can help working families while fixing the state, all the better.

For UBI to have its greatest success, it should be accompanied by the complete abolition of the minimum wage. On the surface, it seems implausible that any anti-poverty liberal could go along with this. However, the nature of UBI would make the change palatable to conservatives and liberals alike.

If UBI was set at an inflation-adjusted $20 thousand per year, just as an example, we’ve already met the goal of alleviating poverty in a more efficient way. Helicopter money drops are obviously not ideal, but again, we’re looking to improve the system as it exists.

The minimum wage is a job-killer, no exception. With the UBI cushion, there is no reason to force employers to pay wages above productivity. Firms could hire more people for jobs that wouldn’t have been previously viable. More jobs would become available, and more workers would be able to take them.