“It was considered a kind of socialist idea in some areas,” said Jarden, a member of the Centrist Liberal Democrats.
“Covid-19 has been [a] Game changer, “Jardine said.” This means that we have seen the suggestion of universal basic income in a completely different light. “In his opinion, the idea – to send cash to all residents regularly, no wires connected – now seems more” practical “than foreign.
He is not the only one to change his mind. As the coronavirus has created an economic crisis, support for progressive policies in Europe, once seen as a political left-wing pipe dream, is growing.
Whether the growth of popularity and research will translate into a wave of action is an open question. But some, like Jardine, see reason for optimism.
Crisis catalyst
Throughout history, the role that government has played in our lives during times of crisis has changed dramatically. Out of great frustration came former President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s plan to distribute social security checks in the United States, for example, when the foundation of universal health care in Britain was laid during World War II.
Experts see the coronavirus epidemic as a world-changing phenomenon that could result in similar tectonic shifts.
Daniel Nett, a behavioral scientist at Newcastle University, said big political changes usually follow major upheavals.
Universal basic income, in its purest form, means everyone earns money, no matter how much they earn, so they can have more freedom to move between jobs, train for new positions, provide care or engage in creative business. Interest in the concept has grown in recent years due to concerns that auto tameness and the climate crisis lead to mass displacement of workers.
Yannick Vanderberg, a professor at the University of St. Louis in Brussels, who specializes in universal basic income, said that the economy hit by the epidemic is still struggling to find a quick fix. There is therefore more appeal in the wider distribution of aid, as in theory it can be quickly accelerated by more targeted measures.
“The problem is that we need immediate financial support for large groups of workers,” Vanderbergett said.
Launch pilot project
As enthusiasm for such policies grows, researchers are taking new steps to study their effectiveness.
The universal basic income trial in Germany – in partnership with the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW) non-profit Maine Grandeincommen in Berlin – is now being sorted out by millions of applicants. Funded by approximately 150,000 private donors, the experiments aim to start distributing money to 120 individuals starting in the spring of 2020.
The study will run for three years. It will also compare 1,380 people who do not receive extra cash instead of comparisons.
During the study participants will be asked to complete a regular questionnaire. According to senior DIW research partner J જોrgen Schpp, who is managing the project, there will be questions about how many hours they are working on inquiries about mental well-being, values and trust in institutions. Those who receive 200,200 per month will be asked to explain how the money is used.
There is no guarantee, of course, that the study will show that there are broad benefits to universal basic income, even though it generates considerable attention from supporters of the concept.
“We want to turn this engagement into basic scientific knowledge,” Schpe said.
The job guarantee pilot in Austria, meanwhile, kicked off in October. It will also last three years.
Program, through which money is provided The regional division of the public employment service of ria stria, which aims to provide paid, long-term jobs to about 150 Marinthal residents – the subject of a final study on the effects of long-term unemployment in the 1930s – who were at least unemployed. One year. Those who choose will enroll in a two-month training course before starting a job ranging from gardening to childcare or home renovation.
The primary goal is to provide participants with a source of social inclusion, meaning and income, said Professor Maximilian Cassie of the University of Oxford, who co-designed the study. Participants will also be asked to fill out regular assessments of their daily routine, personal health and involvement in the local community.
Sven Hargovich, managing director of the employment service, began pitching a job guarantee program for Marianthal before the epidemic hit. But the employment crisis initiated by Covid-19 has made it even more crucial, he said.
“Now is the time to find new ways [to fight] “Long-term unemployment,” Hargovich said.
Will there be action?
As researchers collect data from pilot programs, the political momentum of overfilling the social safety net is evolving.
But experts note that the loose alliance of supporters of the universal basic income still includes key sections.
There is a great deal of disagreement over whether, for example, whether such programs should arise out of deficit costs or higher taxes on the rich, as well as whether the payments should be made only to those in need – meaning that they may not be truly universal.
Jardin, for example, thinks universal basic income should replace the UK’s current welfare system, while people like Caretakers and Gig Economy Workers regularly consume cash. But she is not sure that the payment should be made for people above a certain income threshold.
“When you have to turn it into an interest in a program, you start to see some inconsistencies,” said Tim Vlandas, a professor of comparative social policy at Xford University.
And there are still plenty of opponents to such ideas. The Conservative government under Boris Johnson of the United Kingdom says universal basic income will be too expensive and incentives to work will be reduced, while most fail to reach those in need. Chancellor Angela Merkel’s coalition government has also expressed concern that it will reduce employment.
Critics also fear widespread economic disruptions to such policies. Some are concerned, for example, that providing a universal basic income will increase inflation.
Jardine, for her part, acknowledges fighting on the hill to convince colleagues that universal basic income is the way forward. But in his view, the epidemic presents an opportunity.
“Governments change – and they change their minds,” he said.
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