payment to pretty much everybody, every month, and it's enough to live on.

一個基本而且足夠以此維生的額度

What's the broader social and cultural effect of having this kind of program in place?

施行這種制度對社會和文化會有什麼深遠的影響？

What's the effect of raising people in a society where they know that, as they reach adulthood,

創造一個成年公民不需要捉襟見肘地過的社會

they won't actually need to start working to make ends meet if they don't want to?

會有什麼影響呢？

While a lot of the basic income debate focuses on very technical questions of how you design

很多關於基本收入的爭論聚焦在關於如何設計，還有誰會受益

it and who would get it, underneath it is a much more fundamental debate about what

這類非常技術性的問題，然而潛藏一個更為基本的爭論

the role of government is in society.

即是政府在社會中角色。

There are a few different arguments for having a basic income.

關於基本收入有幾個不同的論點

One is that it's just a better way to do the safety net that we have now.

其中之一是這是一個比現有的安全網更好的制度

It's a very clunky system, doesn't always meet peoples' needs.

一個過於僵硬的制度，不總是符合人們的期待。

And so, one thought is that if we took all of that money and all those programs and threw

所以有一個想法是我們廢除那些制度

them away and just had a basic income instead, it might be a better way to meet peoples'

然後將資金轉移到基本收入，這可能是一個更符合人們需求的方法

needs, and certainly a more efficient way.

也一定是一個更有效率的方法。

The other big argument in favor of a basic income is that you don't have to phase it

關於基本收入還有另一個大爭論是

out the way our welfare programs phase out.

你不會像處在福利制度中有被淘汰的可能

One of the biggest problems with the way that welfare tends to work is that as you start

關於福利制度一個最大的問題，是當你開始賺錢的時候

to earn your own money, your eligibility for benefits declines.

你會逐漸喪失拿到福利的資格。

If you use a basic income that's universal instead, then you say, you're gonna get this

如果你改為採用基本收入，等同對民眾宣告：不工作就有錢拿

money if you don't work, and you're gonna get this money if you do work.

工作的話也會獲得同等數目的錢

One of the huge challenges for a basic income is its cost.

基本收入的一大挑戰是高成本。

If you imagine actually sending $1,000 a month to everybody in the country, you get to a

想像你真的每個月發給國家公民 1000 美元

program that's three or even four trillion dollars in size.

你需要的是一個 3 到 4 兆美元規模的政策來支應。

That's just not what we spend on our safety net today, which is maybe $1 trillion, but

遠超過今日政府所有花費

that's everything our government spends today.

在安全網約莫1兆元的金額。

And so, when you're talking about still needing the government to do what it does plus adding

所以如果你要求政府維持原有政策，再外加基本收入

a basic income on top of it, you start to get in to- to the idea of nearly doubling

你就需要一個兩倍規模大的政府

the size of the government or-or needing to double all the taxes that we collect to pay for it.

或者是繳兩倍高的稅額來支撐這個系統。

If you truly wanted to fund a basic income out of spending we do today, you'd have to

如果你真的想要為基本收入募款

use not just our safety net, but all of Medicare and all of Social Security as well.

你不只需要運用安全網的資源，還有全部的健保和社會安全

We already provide to each elderly citizen more support in Medicare and Social Security

我們已經為年長的公民在健保和社會安全方面

than we would offer through a basic income.

提供比起基本收入方案更多的援助。

So, if we actually want to replace all of those programs with a basic income, among

所以如果我們真的想要以基本收入替換掉所有政策

other things, it would be mean dramatically slashing the support we provide to the elderly,

這將代表著我們對年長者提供的援助會劇烈的減少

dramatically slashing the support we provide to the disabled.

同時對身心障礙者的援助也會劇烈減少。

The best argument in favor of a basic income is that the United States truly has become

支持基本收入最根本的論點在於美國真的達成足夠程度的富有

wealthy enough as a country that we could, in theory, send everybody enough money to meet their basic needs.

理論上成為一個可以送錢給每個人，並符合他們基本需求的國家。

And for people who see that as an attractive vision, that people don't need to worry about

對於那些將此視為願景的人們，有朝一日人們不需要再為溫飽奔波

supporting themselves anymore, that's something to be celebrated and something to be pursued.

是一件值得被慶祝並且追求的目標。

If you had this support that you could count on whether or not you worked, you might choose

如果你信任這般無論工作與否都可以獲得的經濟援助

to spend more time on your education, you might take a risk to start a business, you

你可能會在教育上花費更多時間，你可能願意承擔創業的風險

might stay home to raise your kids, and all of those things you'd still be able to do

你可能會待在家裡養育孩子，還有所有因為獲得基本收入

because you were still earning the basic income.

而能夠完成的事情。

The best argument against a basic income is that it represents a really fundamental redefinition

反對基本收入最有力的論點是基本收入挑戰了

of peoples' obligations in society and the role of government.

人們對於社會責任和政府角色最基本的定義。

What we define as the obligation of the individual, what he or she is expected to do, what he

我們對於個體義務的定義、他或她被期許達成的事

fulfills when he performs work and contributes productively to a community, those kinds of

當他工作時達成的事情以及為社群所貢獻的生產力

things are foundational to how we organize our society, how we raise children, uh, and

這些事情是我們組織社會最根本的要求，我們如何生兒育女

how we define success in life.

以及我們如何定義一個成功的生活。

A basic income shifts so much of that to the idea that actually providing for basic needs

基本收入的概念是影響如此巨大的概念

is no longer the individual's responsibility.

導致提供基本需求不再是個人

It's now the government's responsibility.

而是政府的責任了。