What do you want to be when you grow up? It’s a question you’ve probably been answering ever since you could talk. The answer you give today might be different from your earliest ambitions, but would it change once again if you knew you didn’t have to work to survive? You might wonder how something like that could even be possible.

Enter: Universal Basic Income (UBI). UBI is a prospective model of social security that’s gaining traction as a possible solution to growing wealth inequality and job instability.

It proposes that the government provides every citizen with a lump sum of income every year, no strings attached, paid to every person regardless of whether or not they work. Supporters, like the Basic Income Earth Network (BIEN), say this would reduce poverty, address financial inequality, and protect workers whose jobs are at risk under the advance of technology.

While it sounds like a novel solution to a very modern problem, the idea was first floated by mathematician and political activist Antoine Caritat way back in 1795, and has resurfaced in various guises, notably during the civil rights movement, when Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. pushed for guaranteed income as a central measure of his Poor People’s Campaign.

More recently, Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang has centered the issue in his 2020 campaign. According to economist and University of Pennsylvania professor Ioana Marinescu, UBI is looking more likely in the U.S. as fewer benefits are made available to those who are out of work. She says that with automation on the horizon, UBI acts like an insurance policy of sorts, cushioning against potential mass layoffs.

So what’s the catch? Free money and support from across the political spectrum? Sounds fake, but okay! You probably have a lot of questions right now — we do, too. It’s a complex proposal with many noble aims, tricky contradictions, and a lot of unknowns. Here’s your Teen Vogue starter guide to demystify this most utopian vision.

What is Universal Basic Income (UBI)?

UBI proposes a form of social security whereby a government guarantees each adult citizen a certain amount of money each year, no questions asked. The idea has become a hot topic as more progressive economic policies have continued to gain a foothold in the mainstream discourse. While some might consider it a pipe dream, others see it as the only way forward, given how employment could continue to change due to technology.

How much would people get paid?

Amounts that get discussed are generally fixed around the poverty threshold, so in the United States, according to 2018 Census data, that would be around $13,000 per year. But that number might shift depending on who’s advocating for it and what kind of political compromises would be necessary. It also has to take into account the larger context of an entire other debate about how poverty is measured and which average income levels would constitute a fair definition of low-income status.

How would the government pay for it?

A special taxation is usually touted as the main source of funding for UBI. While raising income tax would be widely resisted by conservatives, Professor Marinescu suggests a carbon tax could present a realistic source of revenue, as there are examples of Republicans and Democrats agreeing that taxing carbon is necessary to combat climate change. Some believe the costs of a UBI program could be offset by cutting some or all government-funded welfare benefits, but others view this as risky for those enrolled.

What would happen to welfare benefits?

In theory, UBI should make some social welfare benefits redundant, streamlining means-tested systems that determine if people are eligible for government benefits based on their income level. Cash from UBI would replace methods such as food stamps, affording greater autonomy of spending to those currently enrolled. Many believe that UBI can’t fully replace every form of government entitlement, though; critics argue that federal programs like Medicare and Social Security are more effective at holding down costs than private insurance and pension plans, so they are not interchangeable with basic income and shouldn’t be targeted for replacement.

Who supports UBI?

The idea appeals to people on the left, right, and center of the political spectrum for many different reasons; some are excited by its potential to combat inequality, poverty, and strengthen workers’ rights, while for some, the chief motivation is cutting bureaucracy and accelerating transitions to an automated workforce. It might seem odd that a policy like this would be floated by figures as varied as former presidents Richard Nixon and Barack Obama, communist media personality Ash Sarkar, and tech industry heavyweights Mark Zuckerburg and Elon Musk, but there are a variety of interpretations of the policy, depending on how it’s implemented. Everyone has their own spin and wrinkles on the potential of UBI.

Where has UBI been tried?

Over the past few years, trials of the scheme have launched in parts of Europe and North America.