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I mean, if you can trade your meat coupons for cash, why not just use cash in the first place?

Because it allows everybody access to the same quantity, while rewarding those who abstain.

That sounds like UBI.

You're just giving an equal handout (that's equivalent to cash) to everybody.

You're glossing over the additional nuance, I think, of the proposed solution giving everybody equal access to a limited meat ration.