Russian Experts on Universal Basic Income: Estimates for 2020
Research Article
Acknowledgments
The reported study was funded by RFBR, project number 20-010-00271
How to Cite
Bobkov V.N., Odintsova Y.V. Russian Experts on Universal Basic Income: Estimates for 2020. Living Standards of the Population in the Regions of Russia. 2021. Vol. 17. No. 1. P. 67-86. DOI: https://doi.org/10.19181/lsprr.2021.17.1.6 (in Russ.).
Abstract
The article presents the main results of a survey of Russian experts conducted in 2020 with the participation of the authors among representatives of the research community, leading universities, the business community, trade unions and state and municipal government bodies regarding the main theoretical and methodological aspects of the concept of universal basic income (UBI) in relation to Russian conditions, the feasibility of its introduction in Russia, as well as the main parameters of possible transitional forms of UBI for Russia. The palette of the obtained expert assessments, generalized and systematized in the following areas, is shown: 1) UBI criteria; 2) Russia's readiness for the introduction of UBI; 3) current challenges for Russia (priority goals of the introduction of UBI, forms of implementation, sources of funding, method of implementation, experiments on the introduction of UBI); 4) risks and positive effects of the introduction of UBI. It was revealed that a common position among experts regarding Russia's readiness to introduce UBI has not yet been formed: almost half of the interviewed experts spoke in favor of the feasibility of implementing transitional forms of UBI in our country, a slightly smaller group of experts believes that Russia is not ready to introduce UBI in principle. Experts associate the primary goals of the possible introduction of UBI in Russia, first of all, with the mitigation (overcoming) of the problems of poverty and socio-economic inequality, ensuring a minimum standard of living for vulnerable categories of the population, ensuring social justice (the right to life, equal opportunities). Support for the idea of implementing a pilot project (projects) for the introduction of UBI was revealed. The opinions of experts on the target categories of the population during the implementation of experiments on the introduction of UBI, the methods of their formation, and the duration of pilot projects were obtained.
Keywords:
universal basic income, expert survey, criteria for universal basic income, risks of introducing universal basic income, positive effects of universal basic income, goals of introducing universal basic income, forms of implementing universal basic income, sources of financing for universal basic income, method of implementing universal basic income, pilot projects for introducing universal basic income in Russia
References
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Widerquist K. A Critical Analysis of Basic Income Experiments for Researchers, Policymakers, and Citizens. Palgrave Pivot, Cham. 2018. 167 р. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-03849-6
Bobkov V.N., Dolgushkin N.K., Odintsova Y.V. Universal Basic Income: Reflections on the Possible Impac on Improving the Living Standards and Quality of Life and the Sustainability of Society. Living Standards of the Population in the Regions of Russia. 2019. Vol. 15. No. 3. P. 8-24. DOI: 10.24411/1999-9836-2019-10069 (In Russ.).
Bobkov V.N., Chernykh E.A., Zolotov S.A., Pavlova V.V. Unconditional Basic Income: Criterial Bases, Transitional Forms and Experimental Implementations. Sociological Studies. 2020. No. 10. P. 84-94. DOI: 10.31857/S013216250009313-7 (In Russ.).
Gontmakher E. Basic Income as a Prologue to Social Policy of the 21st Century. Economic Policy. No. 2. P. 156-177. DOI: 10.18288/1994-5124-2019-2-156-177 (In Russ.).
Zolotov A.V., Zolotov S.A. Realization of the UBI Principles As An Answer to the COVID–19 Challenges. Living Standards of the Population in the Regions of Russia. 2020. Vol. 16. No. 4. P. 96-104. DOI: 10.19181/lsprr.2020.16.4.8 (In Russ.).
Kvashnin Yu.D. Basic Income for the European Countries: From Theory to Practice. Contemporary Europe. 2019. No. 3. P. 171‒181. DOI: 10.15211/soveurope32019171181 (In Russ.).
Kislitsyna O.A. Introduction of the Unconditional Basic Income System: What the Russians Think about It? Who Is For, Who Is Against? The Bulletin of the Institute of Economics of the Russian Academy of Sciences. 2019. No. 3. P. 32–47. DOI: 10.24411/2073-6487-2019-10030 (In Russ.).
Chernykh Y.A. The Current State of Research of the Content, Forms, Tools and Mechanisms of Introducing Unconditional Basic Income. Living Standards of the Population in the Regions of Russia. 2020. Vol. 16. No. 2. P. 61-75. DOI: 10.19181/lsprr/2020.16.2.6 (In Russ.).
Basic Income as a Policy Option: Technical Background Note Illustrating Cost and Distributional Implications for Selected Countries. OECD. 2017. Accessed: 25.01.2021. URL: www.oecd.org/els/soc/Basic-Income-Policy-Option-2017-Brackground-Technical-Note.pdf
Basic Income. Pilot Project. Accessed: 22.01.2021. URL: https://images.meinbge.de/image/upload/v1/pilot/projektmappe/Basic_Income_Pilot_Project_Magazine.pdf
Fitzgerald R., Bottoni G., Swift S. The future of welfare: basic income? European Social Survey. Part of the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). Festival of Social Science.2017. Accessed: 13.01.2021. URL: citizensincome.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/European-Social-Survey-surveyon-Basic-Income.pdf
Gentilini U., Grosh M., Rigolini J., Yemtsov R. (Eds.) Exploring Universal Basic Income. A Guide to Navigating Concepts, Evidence, and Practices. The World Bank. 2020. 312 р. DOI: 10.1596/978-1-4648-1458-7
Kangas O., Jauhiainen S., Simanainen M., Ylikännö M. (eds.) The Basic Income Experiment 2017-2018 in Finland. Preliminary results. Ministry of Social Affairs and Health. Helsinki. 2019. 30 р.
Ortiz I., Behrendt Ch., Acuña-Ulate A., Nguyen Q.A. Universal Basic Income proposals in light of ILO standards: Key issues and global costing. ESS – Working Paper No. 62. International Labour Organization. 2018. 54 р.
Standing G. Basic Income: And How We Can Make It Happen. London: Penguin. 2017. 400 p.
Van Parijs Ph., Vanderborght Y. Basic Income: A Radical Proposal for a Free Society and a Sane Economy. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. 2017. 400 p.
Widerquist K. A Critical Analysis of Basic Income Experiments for Researchers, Policymakers, and Citizens. Palgrave Pivot, Cham. 2018. 167 р. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-03849-6
Article
Received: 12.01.2021
Accepted: 19.03.2021
Citation Formats
Other cite formats:
APA
Bobkov, V. N., & Odintsova, Y. V. (2021). Russian Experts on Universal Basic Income: Estimates for 2020. Living Standards of the Population in the Regions of Russia, 17(1), 67-86. https://doi.org/10.19181/lsprr.2021.17.1.6
Section
ECONOMIC RESEARCH
