The politics of Citizens Basic Income

In Chapter 11, each of liberalism, socialism, and conservatism, is found to provide grounds for arguments for Citizen’s Basic Income, and proponents of each ideology are found to have offered arguments for it. Arguments against are found to be not ideology-specific. The chapter recognises that ideological pressures can result in policy compromises and complexity, but that Citizen’s Basic Income is uncompromisable because it has a clear definition. Citizen’s Basic Income schemes – with funding mechanisms and the levels of Citizen’s Basic Income for different age groups specified – are however subject to ideological pressures. The chapter discusses poverty, inequality, redistribution of income, and redistribution of the ability to raise net disposable income; and it contains discussions of citizenship rights, citizenship duties, our diverse citizenship, and Citizen’s Basic Income’s effects on citizenship. A case study describes reductions in poverty and inequality that two Citizen’s Basic Income schemes would achieve.