‘Basic Income’ or ‘Bait and Switch’?

The idea of a Basic Income is much in vogue these days, but is one name being used to describe two different programs? This paper describes a ‘good’ and ‘bad’ Basic Income design to show why we might want the former, but could well end up with the latter. While the search for the silver bullet to once and for all eliminate poverty in a single great swoop is seductive, it leads us away from consideration of practical steps which, while incremental, would substantially reduce poverty and inequality.

ISBN – 1-55382-678-7