I view payments to low-income people as the state "buying low", with the expectation that they will be able to "sell high" when those same people pay taxes late

I view payments to low-income people as the state "buying low", with the expectation that they will be able to "sell high" when those same people pay taxes later when they gain a higher income. Such payments are investment by the state in its people. Sure, not every investment pays off, but investors still invest in high risk ventures. Societies should similarly invest in low income people. A UBI would go to everyone, but the benefits would accrue largely to low-income people, hence my focus above.