In England, they decided to give citizens 1,600 pounds a month

In the developed countries of the world, a system of financial support for their fellow citizens has long been established. But they do not stop there, they try new models. For example, in England, an experiment is beginning to pay an unconditional basic income of 1,600 pounds per month.

The experiment will involve 30 people in East Finchley, north London. No requirements or recommendations for the use of these funds will be made to the recipients, and no financial reporting is expected on their part.

It’s just money, £1,600 a month for two years. As practice shows, this amount is quite enough for life. Receiving these funds, a person may or may not work.

The analytical center, which actually developed the project, will unobtrusively look after the lucky ones. Its goal is: will people receiving BBD want to work or not?

There is nothing new under the sun. Experiments with unconditional basic incomes have already been carried out more than once or twice in different countries of the world.

But for the first time it took place in 1974 in Canada and operated for five years. The family was paid 16 thousand Canadian dollars a year – at the rate of a little more than 11 thousand American dollars. And also no conditions or requirements. The experiment showed that the UBI helps fellow citizens escape from poverty, its participants turned to doctors less often with psychological problems, the number of hospitalizations with injuries and accidents decreased, and even an increase in demographics in these families was recorded.

Since then, experiments have been carried out in different countries. India, Germany, USA…

In Russia, discussions on a similar topic also flared up. There were periods, the so-called fat years, when public figures proposed to distribute the flow of petrodollars among Russians. So that we all gradually get richer, so that petrodollars get not only to the oligarchs, but to the entire population. So to say, each sister has an earring.

Is such a prospect possible in our country?

It should be taken into account here that with all the advantages of the BBD program, the experiment, nevertheless, remains an experiment. Is there something holding back the authorities of different countries from launching the program in wide circulation?

“Here, the nature of the payments is different, it’s not about sharing between citizens the super-profits from petrodollars, from the outrageous export potential,” says Mikhail Belyaev, candidate of economic sciences. – Such a system is practiced, in particular, in Norway, in some Arab countries.

This is where scientific and technological progress plays a role. As a result, labor productivity increases and, accordingly, jobs in production are vacated. An unconditional basic income is the result of the introduction of know-how in various industries.

– In different countries, similar experiments have been carried out for the last decades, they show good results. But still as part of the experiment …

– In this regard, developed countries are a little ahead of the curve. Such a large-scale technical revolution has not yet happened, but they are actively preparing for it. With the expectation that as a result of robotization, artificial intelligence, digitalization, labor productivity will increase significantly. After that, the state will be able to take a part of society under its guardianship, paying monthly UBB.

Whether we like it or not, the world is moving in that direction. That it is not necessary for everyone to go to the factory, to perform monotonous operations. The machines will do your job. And you can take care of yourself, receiving unconditional basic income.

This is a kind of neo-antique society, when a person can engage in culture, his spiritual development, sports.

In Australia, about 30 years ago, school graduates were given scholarships, for two years they could simply travel around the country, decide on their future profession and not rush anywhere. See what your soul is for.

Reducing working time, optimizing production is the mainstream way of human development, it cannot be stopped.

– When can we expect such experiments in Russia? Let not with a monthly payment of 1600 pounds or annual 16 thousand Canadian dollars?

– I think, very soon, while there is nothing to talk about. We have a lot of people who call for a 6-day work week or argue that you cannot live without work. But why not just live for your own pleasure?

True, for this we need to create a scientifically advanced society. And only then to conduct such experiments.