The Pros and Cons of a Universal Basic Income

A protester holds a placard reading'Let's be realistic, ask for the obvious, 32h sharing of work time, Basic income, more jobs thanks to energy transition' during a demonstration called by youth organizations and students' unions on March 9, 2016, in Paris, during a nationwide day of protest against proposed labour reforms. In June of this year, Swiss voters saw an initiative on their ballots calling for an "unconditional basic income" that would "allow the whole population to lead a decent life and participate in public life." Put on the ballot by a petition drive after it was rejected in parliament, the initiative was rejected by 77 percent of Swiss voters, with 23 percent approving. The initiative lost badly, but even having a national vote on a universal basic income (UBI) shows how far the idea has come. Although people have advocated some type of universal basic livelihood or support for centuries, usually tied to concerns about poverty, recent advocacy is closely linked to fears about extensive job losses due to technology, especially artificial intelligence (AI) and robotization of work.