Universal Basic Income

(The MIT Press Essential Knowledge series)

By: Karl Widerquist

Narrated by: Stephen R. Thorne

The growing movement for universal basic income (UBI) has been gaining attention from politics and the media with the audacious idea of a regular, unconditional cash grant for everyone as a right of citizenship. This volume in the Essential Knowledge series presents the first short, solid UBI introduction that is neither academic nor polemic. It takes a position in favor of UBI, but its primary goal remains the provision of essential knowledge by answering the fundamental questions about it: What is UBI? How does it work? What are the arguments for and against it? What is the evidence?

Karl Widerquist discusses how UBI functions, showing how it differs from other redistributional approaches. He summarizes the common arguments for and against UBI and presents the reasons for believing it is a tremendously important reform. The book briefly discusses the likely cost of UBI; options for paying for it; the existing evidence on the probable effects of UBI; and the history of UBI from its inception more than two hundred years ago to today. Now more than ever, conditions in much of the world are ripe for such enthusiasm to keep growing, and there are good reasons to believe that this current wave of support will eventually lead to the adoption of UBI in several countries around the world-making this volume an especially timely and necessary listen.

©2024 Massachusetts Institute of Technology (P)2024 Ascent Audio

Detail and logic of the arguments presented.

Very detailed and logical organization of the components and reasons for UBI. An unusualy strong attempt to present the arguments for and against an important public policy change. This book and these concepts need wide exposure and understanding in the publuc.

Excellent review of UBI

Karl Widerquist has produced a tour de force in the UBI concept. Recommended for anyone with interest in how to create a more just society.