Long before Andrew Yang launched his scrappy 2020 presidential campaign, Universal Basic Income (UBI), the idea that the government provides every adult citizen with a set amount of cash on a regular basis (no strings attached), has been growing in popularity. And it's not just "talk" at this point. A few countries like Kenya, Finland and even Iran have launched nationwide unconditional cash transfer programs, and many others have launched smaller-scale programs. 54% of Americans oppose a UBI program, according to a 2020 PEW study. Unsurprisingly, most Democrats support it and most Republicans oppose it…many saying a UBI would discourage people from looking for jobs. But worldwide, the coronavirus pandemic has only supercharged the UBI movement, as it further widened the chasm of global economic inequality.
Watch the episode of GZERO World with Ian Bremmer: Is modern society broken?