The sociology of Citizens Basic Income

Chapter 8 takes a historical approach to sociology, discussing contributions to the discipline by Karl Marx, Emile Durkheim, Max Weber, George Mead and Herbert Blumer. How society changes is discussed, and the suggestion is made that only a radically simple benefits system can cope with rapid social change. The chapter discusses how families are changing, and also the status of women, and how a Citizen’s Basic Income would benefit both women and families. The chapter also shows how such social institutions as benefits systems create stigma and reduce interpersonal trust, and that a Citizen’s Basic Income would reduce stigma and increase interpersonal trust. A concluding section on globalization discusses the implementation of Citizen’s Basic Incomes at national, regional, and global levels, starting with national implementations, and then perhaps a Eurodividend for the European Union.