World basic income as the ultimate human safety net
Basic income proposals and pilot projects have varied enormously regarding how much money is provided per person. Richer countries have tended to explore amounts ranging from $400 - $2000 per person per month (often with lower rates for children), intending to replace existing social welfare benefits and - in some cases - provide a viable alternative to paid employment.
Other proposals and experiments have focused on improving incomes for those who get the worst deal in the world economy. These rarely aim to replace paid work; on the contrary, they often boost employment by giving local people money to spend. They also do not usually expect to replace existing social security, where it exists. The goal instead is to reduce the worst harms caused by poverty, and enable people to create their own opportunities. Cash transfer programmes for Haitian earthquake survivors and Syrian refugees have given amounts of $100 to $120 per household per month (so $10 to $60 per person), while pilot basic income projects in India and Namibia have given between $2 and $7 per person per month. These small amounts have often made big differences - hunger and ill health are reduced, school attendance and community cohesion improve, women are empowered and local economies flourish.
World basic income has more in common with the latter kinds of schemes. It is not intended to replace work or other social security, and we hope that many countries will also provide a national basic income on top of it. World basic income should be seen simply as the ultimate human safety net, to ensure that no matter where you live, your basic human right to life is secure.
Other proposals and experiments have focused on improving incomes for those who get the worst deal in the world economy. These rarely aim to replace paid work; on the contrary, they often boost employment by giving local people money to spend. They also do not usually expect to replace existing social security, where it exists. The goal instead is to reduce the worst harms caused by poverty, and enable people to create their own opportunities. Cash transfer programmes for Haitian earthquake survivors and Syrian refugees have given amounts of $100 to $120 per household per month (so $10 to $60 per person), while pilot basic income projects in India and Namibia have given between $2 and $7 per person per month. These small amounts have often made big differences - hunger and ill health are reduced, school attendance and community cohesion improve, women are empowered and local economies flourish.
World basic income has more in common with the latter kinds of schemes. It is not intended to replace work or other social security, and we hope that many countries will also provide a national basic income on top of it. World basic income should be seen simply as the ultimate human safety net, to ensure that no matter where you live, your basic human right to life is secure.
How much should we get as a world basic income?
This proposal needs to be practical: the amount we can pay out depends on how much we can raise. When we began this campaign we proposed a world basic income of $10 per person per month. However, our calculations have since shown that, with just a few small taxes and charges applied to over-use of the global commons, we could raise enough for a significantly higher basic income. In early 2020 we therefore began discussions about increasing the proposed starting amount.
When choosing the new amount, we have needed to consider the effects that it could have on people and communities receiving it, in terms of work habits, lifestyle, family dynamics and more. We have discussed this with our International Advisory Board, especially members based in Africa and south Asia, and based our new starting figure on their input. We've also considered evidence around potential inflation impacts. This evidence shows that low income communities can actually absorb a large amount of new money without significant inflation, as they use it as a stimulus to increase production.
When choosing the new amount, we have needed to consider the effects that it could have on people and communities receiving it, in terms of work habits, lifestyle, family dynamics and more. We have discussed this with our International Advisory Board, especially members based in Africa and south Asia, and based our new starting figure on their input. We've also considered evidence around potential inflation impacts. This evidence shows that low income communities can actually absorb a large amount of new money without significant inflation, as they use it as a stimulus to increase production.
We therefore propose a world basic income of
US $30 per person per month
for every adult and every child worldwide.
This equates to roughly $1 a day for everyone.
This is a starting figure, and we hope that it would be raised significantly in the years following its introduction. Ultimately, the amount will depend on how much money can be raised, and what people worldwide believe is the right level for a basic global safety net.
$30 dollars means $30 dollars, no matter where you are
At World Basic Income, we believe the amount received should not vary according to average incomes or prices in each country. If this amount is too low to be meaningful in richer countries (as no doubt it will be to many people), we hope that people and politicians there will campaign for a national basic income to boost them up to the standard of living they expect. And if $30 buys more in some countries than others, that is likely to be no bad thing - usually countries with low prices are also places where people don't have much money. If these people especially feel the benefit of their world basic income, so much the better.