Life on basic income - Interview accounts by basic income experiment participants on the effects of the experiment

Blomberg, Helena; Kroll, Christian; Tarkiainen, Laura

doi:10.4337/9781839104855.00020

Cited by 4 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Participants in Finland's BI experiment expressed a greater sense of economic security and standard of living despite uncertain circumstances such as seasonal or low‐paid employment (Blomberg et al., 2021). Some also described the pilot as allowing for “self‐seeking” and artists reported increased abilities to be creative absent the stress of survival (Blomberg et al., 2021, p. 160). Similarly, qualitative interview participants in the Stockton, CA experiment described a shift from a scarcity mentality to being able to focus on family relationships and personal development (West et al., 2021).…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

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From scarcity to security: Participant well‐being in the first 2 years of a basic income pilot

Hamilton,

Choplin,

Paputseanos

2023

Anal Soc Iss & Public Policy

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This article describes the mental well‐being outcomes of participants in the HudsonUP pilot, a 5‐year basic income initiative for low to mid‐income residents of Hudson, NY. The study employs a mixed‐methods approach, including both quantitative surveys and qualitative phenomenological interviews, to better understand participants' experiences 2 years into the pilot. Through the lens of the psychological theory of scarcity, findings indicate that the HudsonUP program has improved the overall mental well‐being of the participants by reducing the stress and anxiety associated with financial insecurity and helping them to meet their basic needs, pursue further education, and career opportunities. Despite the challenges of the ongoing pandemic and inflation, participants expressed gratitude for the “undercurrent of stability” provided by the program.

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Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

From scarcity to security: Participant well‐being in the first 2 years of a basic income pilot

Hamilton,

Choplin,

Paputseanos

2023

Anal Soc Iss & Public Policy

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“…Qualitative interviews of pilot participants may also be useful. This has been done in the case of the Finnish basic income experiment (Blomberg et al, 2021).…”

Section: Sectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A universal basic income for Ireland: Lessons from the international literature

Redmond¹,

McGuinness²,

Ciprikis³

2022

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A universal basic income (UBI) is defined as a universal, unconditional cash payment that is made regularly, is sufficient to live on, is not means tested, carries no work requirements and is paid on an individual basis. This study examines the international evidence on universal basic incomes and identifies key issues for consideration in the design of any UBI pilot for Ireland. Despite the mainstream interest in UBI as a potential policy tool, relatively little is known about the associated consequences of such policies. Even the definition of a UBI appears to be poorly understood and is often misused in the public discourse. Several pilot studies have been recently implemented across different countries. However, some pilot studies depart from the accepted definition of UBI. For example, some are not universal, in that they only target a specific subgroup of the population and/or have eligibility restrictions based on earnings. Others provide a relatively low level of payment, which may fall short of what an individual could reasonably be expected to live on. There are a number of potentially positive impacts associated with a UBI. A universal, unconditional payment could eliminate the stigma associated with welfare receipt. If replacing existing welfare payments, a UBI would also involve lower transaction costs, both on the recipient (in terms of the application procedure) and on Government (in terms of administering the payment). Universal, unconditional payments would also avoid situations where people choose not to work in order to retain means-tested benefits. UBI could give individuals the freedom to turn down or leave insecure, exploitative or low-paid work in pursuit of better or improved work opportunities. In addition, it would mean that persons in informal and often unpaid work, such as childcare and eldercare, which is mostly done by women, receive some compensation for their labour. Empirical results from several pilot studies have found evidence of positive health impacts following the implementation of a UBI. In terms of potential disadvantages, a UBI, by definition, may not target those that are most in need, as a large percentage of recipients will be high-earning individuals. Furthermore, the cost of a UBI is likely to be very expensive, even if other existing benefits (such as unemployment benefits) are no longer required. The net impacts of a UBI on labour supply are unclear, with both positive and negative influences on labour market participation potentially arising as a consequence of a UBI. In this study, we undertake some basic calculations relating to four possible UBI approaches, all of which would involve an unconditional payment to every individual aged over 18 in Ireland.

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Poverty constructions and discursive strategies employed by participants in the Finnish Basic Income Experiment

Tarkiainen,

Blomberg,

Kroll

2024

Discourse & Society

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In this article, we examine how eighty-one participants in the Finnish Basic Income Experiment discursively construct and make sense of their own and others’ poverty in face-to-face interviews. Using Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), we identified three discursive strategies the interviewees use to engage with and challenge culturally dominant poverty discourses. First, poverty was constructed as a tragic experience attributed to external causes beyond individual control, such as precarious labour markets and governmental policies. Second, poverty was managed discursively through explicit and implicit moral judgements about other welfare recipients, which also highlighted the speakers’ own moral values regarding responsibility and self-sufficiency. Third, some interviewees discursively constructed their low-income status as a personal and deliberate choice to live an intentionally modest, sustainable or ‘deviant’ lifestyle. Overall, our results reveal how ideologically controversial sociopolitical experiments create a particular argumentative context in which poverty talk is constructed.

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Life on basic income - Interview accounts by basic income experiment participants on the effects of the experiment

Cited by 4 publications

References 12 publications

From scarcity to security: Participant well‐being in the first 2 years of a basic income pilot

From scarcity to security: Participant well‐being in the first 2 years of a basic income pilot

A universal basic income for Ireland: Lessons from the international literature

Poverty constructions and discursive strategies employed by participants in the Finnish Basic Income Experiment

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