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This thesis is an exploration into the current United States Welfare System and Universal Basic Income, a proposed alternative welfare system. The current U.S. Welfare System houses multiple proposed issues which may weaken its effectiveness. These issues include the disincentives to word, emphasis on tangible progress, a limited impact, and an inability to accommodate coming trends of outsourcing and automation. Universal Basic Income may offer a solution to the potential pitfalls of this system. Universal Basic Income offers many proposed benefits, both theoretical and explored through basic income experiments. Universal Basic Income may eliminate the Welfare Trap, increase psychological health, stimulate education, stimulate the economy, and promote a free market. Universal Basic Income has potential issues, including the public reaction to eliminating minimum wage, income inequality, and effects on immigration. The most noted concerns with Universal Basic Income - inflation, misuse of cash handouts, and depletion of the workforce – appear to be less pressing concerns based on current theory and experiments.

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