Imagine receiving a check from the government every month. The concept of guaranteed basic income for all citizens has been gaining prominence around the world, leading to referendums and national political debate in several countries.
Known by different names, a policy of "universal basic income" (UBI) is a form of government assistance where every citizen receives a monthly income — regardless of their age or employment status. In a referendum in June last year, 76.9% of Swiss voters rejected a proposal that would have enshrined basic income as a constitutional right. But despite the Swiss setback, the idea is gaining currency elsewhere in Europe and beyond. Recently, the foundation run by billionaire eBay founder Pierre Omidyar laid out $493,000 to help fund a UBI program in Kenya.
Here are five different basic income schemes around the world:
FINLAND
"Now I can concentrate on what I truly want to do, instead of having to deal with the bureaucracy," Sini Marttinen, 31, told Italian newspaper La Stampa.
The center-right Finnish government is spending 20 million euros ($21.2 million) on the experiment. If successful, Finland will implement it nationwide at a cost of 15 billion euros ($16 billion) — up from the current 13.4 to 14.5 billion that Helsinki spends on its welfare state.
INDIA
Every rupee helps — Photo: Sudheesh S
This is not the country’s first experiment with basic income, notes Indian newspaper The Hindu. An 18-month basic income trial took place in 2010 in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, home to 73 million people. The trial provided more than 6,000 individuals in eight villages with unconditional cash transfers that ranged from 100 to 300 rupees per month ($1.5 to $4.5). Designed to supplement the income of families living under the poverty line, a study showed that the trial resulted in a sharp increase in food sufficiency and a drop in illness in villages that received the funds compared to those that did not.
ITALY
According to La Stampa, the policy is not strictly a basic income program and regional authorities instead term it an "active measure of income assistance". Recipients are required to accept employment if it's offered to them — including internships and part-time work — and must enter rehab programs if they are substance addicts.
FRANCE
Benoît Hamon on Jan. 29 — Photo: Marion Germa
French daily Le Monde writes that if Hamon wins the presidential election, his campaign advocates implementing an income of 600 euros ($638) for all citizens between the ages of 18 and 25 in 2017, which will be raised to 750 euros within five years. Though he is currently languishing fourth in the polls with 15% of the likely vote, the election is still considered wide open.
NETHERLANDS
The experiment is part of a project called "Weten Wat Werkt", or "Know What Works," that's aimed at comparing the possibilities of a universal basic income approach with the Dutch welfare system that's currently in place. Three other Dutch cities have launched similar experiments in basic income and more are scheduled to participate, reports Dutch newspaper NRC Handelsblad.