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Why is it so hard to escape poverty? - Ann-Helén Bay

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12,488 Questions Answered

TEDEd Animation

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Imagine that you’ve been unemployed for months. Government benefit programs have helped you cover your expenses, but you’re barely getting by. Finally, you receive a paycheck— but there’s a catch. Your new job pays enough to disqualify you from benefit programs, but not enough to cover your costs. So how do we design benefit programs that don’t penalize you for working? Ann-Helén Bay investigates.

A universal basic income is a fixed benefit to all members of a society. What is the advantage of basic income as a means to combat poverty, and what do you see as potential disadvantages?

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About TED-Ed Animations

TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Educator Ann-Helén Bay
  • Director Avi Ofer
  • Narrator Christina Greer
  • Animator Avi Ofer
  • Composer Salil Bhayani, cAMP Studio
  • Sound Designer Amanda P.H. Bennett, cAMP Studio
  • Editorial Director Alex Rosenthal
  • Director of Production Gerta Xhelo
  • Producer Bethany Cutmore-Scott
  • Editorial Producer Dan Kwartler
  • Script Editor Alex Gendler
  • Fact-Checker Eden Girma

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