THE BASICS OF UBI​

UBI vs. Negative Income Tax

UBI vs. Negative Income Tax

An NIT sounds very different from a UBI because, well, it sounds like a tax, not a benefit! But as we’ll see, in most circumstances, the two are mathematically equivalent.

How Basic Income Will Impact Rent

How Basic Income Will Impact Rent

One fear about Universal Basic Income (UBI) is that it could cause rents to increase, partially or entirely diverting the benefit of UBI to landlords.

The circle of obligation and the mandatory-participation “social contract” (Mandatory Participation on Trial, Part 12)

The circle of obligation and the mandatory-participation “social contract” (Mandatory Participation on Trial, Part 12)

Many people have imagined a workers’ revolution that cuts out property owners and establishes a true circle-of-obligation. As always, let me see the plan. Maybe it solves some of the problems I’ve mentioned, but no plan solves the insider-outsider problems inherent in politics. Wishful thinking about everyone becoming better people after the revolution won’t make the self-serving bias of people in power go away.

Universal basic dividend as a form of welfare

Universal basic dividend as a form of welfare

Universal basic dividend (UBD) is a mechanism by which each member of a given society receives a regular payment, with no or very limited conditionality, typically based on recognising the value of common resources, or of public investment in the capitalist economy. This post explores the potential benefits and limitations of this idea, summarising the policy brief recently published by the UCL Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose.