Poverty isnt a lack of character, it is a lack of cash, Rutger Bregman

I was recently reminded of a 2017 TED talk by historian Rutger Bregman where he was speaking about an experiment that took place nearly 50 years ago. In Dauphin Canada in 1974 they undertook an experiment to ensure that no-one fell below the poverty line.?This was essentially by providing Universal Basic Income (UBI). Four years later with a change of government and a cessation of funding all the research was packed away and the experiment stopped.?25 years later a researcher found the boxes of data and spent three years analysing them.?The experiment had been a resounding success.?Education went up, hospitalisations went down, jobs tenure became stable, mental health improved and domestic violence decreased.?The poor had become richer, smarter, happier and healthier.

At the time of his talk Rutger indicated that the cost of child poverty in USA was $500Bpa, and the cost of ending poverty was less than half at $175Bpa. Yet poverty has not ended.

He suggest that poverty primarily arises from a scarcity mentality - not enough time, money, food or affordable housing.

Many solutions applied to poverty address symptoms rather than cause. He quoted novalist George Orwell, saying that 'Poverty annihilates the future.' Poverty is not a lack of intelligence, knowledge or personality defect - at least not in those who experience poverty. It is a lack of cash, and mindsets that do not recognise that everybody benefits from making a change.

So do you perpetuate the current system or do you make a change?

He suggests we need a complete rethink – a change in worldview that can implement systemic change that provides all citizens a viable basic income that lifts people out of poverty - as a human right.

There really is enough for everyone.

https://www.ted.com/talks/rutger_bregman_poverty_isn_t_a_lack_of_character_it_s_a_lack_of_cash#t-885495