4. Basic Income in Other Policy Areas

A citizens’ stipend system of the type proposed here would thus bring about a broad spectrum of positive changes without risking serious transitional problems. Such a system would be administratively easy to handle, it would be transparent, it would be fair, it would make the economy and working life more creative and innovative, and it would lead to full employment by reshaping the wage structure and economic risk sharing. Combined with the associated statutory social security system, it would cover all special needs in aggravated conditions of life. In addition, it would offer the greatest possible transparency and simplicity in distribution issues, and it would thereby help secure social peace, contribute to a new, clearer, and more rational perception of politics, counteract disaffection with democracy, reduce the susceptibility to populist messages, raise the level of political discourse, and even pave the way for a higher level of political civilization. It is hard to imagine that this broad range of positive effects of the citizens’ stipend system may in any way be outweighed by negative side effects.