IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/sae/prodev/v24y2024i1p68-76.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Something for Everyone? Addressing Conservative Opposition to Universal Basic Income Programmes

Author

Listed:
  • Colin D. Wooldridge

    (Colin D. Wooldridge is the corresponding author (colin.wooldridge@tamucc.edu) and affiliated with Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, 6300 Ocean Drive, Unit 5808, Corpus Christi, Texas 78412-5808, USA.)

  • Andrew F. Johnson

    (Andrew F. Johnson is also affiliated with Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, Texas, USA.)

  • Katherine J. Roberto

    (Katherine J. Roberto is also affiliated with Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, Texas, USA.)

Abstract

Trial universal basic income (UBI) programmes in developing nations around the world have yielded positive results with respect to individual health outcomes, income, women’s empowerment, decreased child labour and much more. Concomitantly, UBI trials provide evidence that fears that UBI decreases labour force participation are based more on classist mythology than reality, and, rather, increases employment. Despite these promising results, implementation of UBI programmes will mean overcoming significant partisan political forces. As such, the focus of this commentary is to explore the most prominent barrier to the implementation of UBI programmes in both developing and wealthy nations, namely, conservative political opposition. UBI programmes are generally promoted by liberal politicians and implemented in liberal jurisdictions. However, these programmes can advance outcomes aligned with conservative principles. We chronicle the current and historical conservative opposition to UBI and argue for UBI programmes using common conservative talking points, positioning them as holistic market-based solutions to counter fragmented social services, means to foster vocational opportunities and a catalyst to promote economic growth. A discussion of how reframing UBI programmes to align with conservative principles alters attitudes towards UBI is included. The acceptance of UBI programmes across the political spectrum is paramount for achieving widespread implementation.

Suggested Citation

  • Colin D. Wooldridge & Andrew F. Johnson & Katherine J. Roberto, 2024. "Something for Everyone? Addressing Conservative Opposition to Universal Basic Income Programmes," Progress in Development Studies, , vol. 24(1), pages 68-76, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:prodev:v:24:y:2024:i:1:p:68-76
    DOI: 10.1177/14649934231193799
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/14649934231193799
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1177/14649934231193799?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. David Autor & Anna Salomons, 2018. "Is Automation Labor-Displacing? Productivity Growth, Employment, and the Labor Share," NBER Working Papers 24871, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    2. Jesse M Cunha & Giacomo De Giorgi & Seema Jayachandran, 2019. "The Price Effects of Cash Versus In-Kind Transfers," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 86(1), pages 240-281.
    3. Suresh de Mel & David McKenzie & Christopher Woodruff, 2009. "Returns to Capital in Microenterprises: Evidence from a Field Experiment," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 124(1), pages 423-423.
    4. Abhijit Banerjee & Paul Niehaus & Tavneet Suri, 2019. "Universal Basic Income in the Developing World," Annual Review of Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 11(1), pages 959-983, August.
    5. Abhijit Banerjee & Esther Duflo & Rachel Glennerster & Cynthia Kinnan, 2015. "The Miracle of Microfinance? Evidence from a Randomized Evaluation," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 7(1), pages 22-53, January.
    6. Ioana Marinescu, 2018. "No Strings Attached: The Behavioral Effects of U.S. Unconditional Cash Transfer Programs," NBER Working Papers 24337, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    7. Melissa Hidrobo & Amber Peterman & Lori Heise, 2016. "The Effect of Cash, Vouchers, and Food Transfers on Intimate Partner Violence: Evidence from a Randomized Experiment in Northern Ecuador," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 8(3), pages 284-303, July.
    8. Andrew F. Johnson & Katherine J. Roberto, 2020. "The COVID‐19 pandemic: Time for a universal basic income?," Public Administration & Development, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 40(4), pages 232-235, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Daniel Bjorkegren & Joshua Blumenstock & Omowunmi Folajimi-Senjobi & Jacqueline Mauro & Suraj R. Nair, 2022. "Instant Loans Can Lift Subjective Well-Being: A Randomized Evaluation of Digital Credit in Nigeria," Papers 2202.13540, arXiv.org.
    2. Nicola Limodio, 2015. "The Development Impact of Financial Regulation: Evidence from Ethiopia and Antebellum USA," 2015 Meeting Papers 355, Society for Economic Dynamics.
    3. Gutiérrez-Nieto, Begoña & Serrano-Cinca, Carlos, 2019. "20 years of research in microfinance: An information management approach," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 183-197.
    4. Simone Schaner, 2018. "The Persistent Power of Behavioral Change: Long-Run Impacts of Temporary Savings Subsidies for the Poor," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 10(3), pages 67-100, July.
    5. Rosenzweig, Mark & Udry, Christopher, 2016. "External Validity in a Stochastic World," Center Discussion Papers 242440, Yale University, Economic Growth Center.
    6. Logan (Geng) Li & Zhengwei Wang, 2022. "Understanding the long‐term effects of Keju: The case of entrepreneurship in China," Economics of Transition and Institutional Change, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 30(4), pages 665-689, October.
    7. Rafael P. Ribas, 2014. "Liquidity Constraints, Informal Financing, and Entrepreneurship: Direct and Indirect Effects of a Cash Transfer Programme," Working Papers 131, International Policy Centre for Inclusive Growth.
    8. Dean Karlan & Adam Osman & Jonathan Zinman, 2013. "Follow the Money: Methods for Identifying Consumption and Investment Responses to a Liquidity Shock," NBER Working Papers 19696, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    9. Nusrat Abedin Jimi & Plamen V. Nikolov & Mohammad Abdul Malek & Subal Kumbhakar, 2019. "The effects of access to credit on productivity: separating technological changes from changes in technical efficiency," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 52(1), pages 37-55, December.
    10. Nathan Fiala, 2015. "Economic Consequences of Forced Displacement," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 51(10), pages 1275-1293, October.
    11. Beck, T.H.L. & Pamuk, H. & Uras, R.B., 2014. "Entrepreneurial Saving Practices and Business Investment : Theory and Evidence from Tanzanian MSEs," Other publications TiSEM b2b04b64-d3cf-4c78-9bbe-0, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    12. Oriana Bandiera & Robin Burgess & Erika Deserranno & Ricardo Morel & Imran Rasul & Munshi Sulaiman & Jack Thiemel, 2022. "Microfinance and Diversification," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 89(S1), pages 239-275, June.
    13. Beck, T.H.L. & Lu, L. & Yang, R., 2013. "Finance and Growth for Microenterprises : Evidence from Rural China," Other publications TiSEM 7b18c27c-2fcb-4888-ae2f-f, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    14. Karthik Muralidharan & Paul Niehaus, 2017. "Experimentation at Scale," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 31(4), pages 103-124, Fall.
    15. Nathan Fiala, 2017. "Business is Tough, but Family is Worse: Household Bargaining and Investment in Microenterprises in Uganda," Working papers 2017-05, University of Connecticut, Department of Economics.
    16. Krislert Samphantharak & Robert M. Townsend, 2018. "Risk and Return in Village Economies," American Economic Journal: Microeconomics, American Economic Association, vol. 10(1), pages 1-40, February.
    17. Angelo D’Andrea & Patrick Hitayezu & Mr. Kangni R Kpodar & Nicola Limodio & Mr. Andrea F Presbitero, 2024. "Mobile Internet, Collateral, and Banking," IMF Working Papers 2024/070, International Monetary Fund.
    18. Erhardt, Eva, 2017. "Microfinance beyond self-employment: Evidence for firms in Bulgaria," MPRA Paper 79294, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    19. Yaya KOLOMA & Zaka RATSIMALAHELO, 2015. "Jeunes, Acces Au Microcredit Et Performance Des Microentreprises : Une Evidence Au Mali," Working Papers 2015-15, CRESE.
    20. Della Guardia, Anne & Lake, Milli & Schnitzer, Pascale, 2022. "Selective inclusion in cash transfer programs: Unintended consequences for social cohesion," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:sae:prodev:v:24:y:2024:i:1:p:68-76. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: SAGE Publications (email available below). General contact details of provider: .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.