Determining the Value of Universal Basic Income: Political Feasibility, Ecological Impact, Economic Realities, and Research Methodologies (Exploring the Basic Income Guarantee)

This open access volume connects the moral arguments for universal basic income (UBI) with the empirical evidence from recent experiments focused on UBI. Examining the costs and benefits associated with UBI, the book bridges the gap between the moral arguments for UBI and the empirical evidence from international UBI experiments. The resulting text will help readers evaluate the viability of UBI as a sustainable policy solution.

With contributions from economists, philosophers, sociologists, and more, the book highlights different models for UBI and examines the trade-offs involved. Chapters investigate the long-term impacts of UBI on labor markets, social cohesion, and institutional trust. By integrating empirical evidence with ongoing moral debates, the book analyzes the potential of UBI.

The volume includes detailed studies of UBI experiments conducted in the US, Europe, and other regions. Contributors analyze the wide range of outcomes, such as changes in work hours, educational achievements, caregiving activities, stress levels, hospitalization rates, food security, crime rates, and adolescent behavior. Chapters explore the ecological impacts of UBI, considering how it might affect consumption patterns and contribute to a just ecological transition. This multidisciplinary approach provides a balanced examination of UBI from multiple perspectives.

Determining the Value of Universal Basic Income provides insights into the financial costs and benefits of UBI, its effects on various social indicators, and its potential to foster a more equitable society. Readers will gain a deep understanding of the economic, social, and ecological implications surrounding UBI.

Roberto Merrill is an assistant professor in moral and political philosophy at the University of Minho. He is Head of the Department of Philosophy and Researcher at the Centre for Ethics, Politics, and Society. Merrill co-coordinates the research project on UBI experiments known as UBIEXP. He is a coeditor of Political Neutrality (Palgrave Macmillan, 2014) and a coauthor of Basic Income Experiments (Palgrave Macmillan, 2022).

Catarina Neves is a postdoctoral researcher for the Ethics Institute at the University of Utrecht. She was an invited teaching assistant at Nova School of Business and Economics in Lisbon, where she was a lecturer for ethics courses. Neves is a coauthor of Basic Income Experiments (Palgrave Macmillan, 2022).