Idea
A regular cash payment to every member of a community, without means test or work requirement.
Theory
Advocates such as Philippe Van Parijs argue it secures 'real freedom' and simplifies welfare; others see it as a response to automation. Critics in the theory literature worry about cost, labour supply and fairness to those who work.
Real examples
- Alaska has paid an annual dividend to residents since 1982.
- Finland paid unconditional benefits to 2,000 unemployed people in 2017–2018.
- Stockton, California, ran a guaranteed-income pilot from 2019 to 2021.
Critique
No experiment has been truly universal and permanent at national scale. Funding a meaningful payment for everyone requires large tax changes, and pilots cannot reveal macro-economic effects.
Results
Pilots consistently report improvements in wellbeing and small or negligible employment effects. The effects of a full, permanent UBI remain disputed.
Claims
Finland's 2017–2018 experiment paid 560 euros a month unconditionally to 2,000 randomly selected unemployed people; it found small employment effects and improved self-reported wellbeing.[1]
Whether a full universal basic income would reduce labour supply at scale is disputed, because existing trials are time-limited, partial or targeted.[1][2]
Revision history
- 2026-10-23rev 2 — Seed import
- 2026-10-23rev 1 — Seed import