The idea of a universal basic income (UBI) got a political boost in the 2020 US presidential campaign and again in the pandemic that followed. The principle is simple: Everyone receives a regular (probably monthly) stipend from the government. It’s universal because everyone gets the same amount with no strings attached. It’s basic because it’s only enough to cover your basic needs.

3 Key Points

• A Universal Basic Income (UBI) is a proposed program in which the government would pay everyone a monthly stipend with no strings attached.
• Some people believe there’s a trend toward a UBI in Europe because the stimulus payments that most Euroipeans received during the recent pandemic were similar to a UBI.
• However, at present, polls indicate that only a minority of Europeans are in favor of a UBI. Those who object are concerned that the program would be too expensive and would reduce incentives to work. They also say that redistributing wealth in this manner is morally wrong.