The debate over unconditional basic income is not a new one, but it has gotten more attention in the wake of the COVID-19 health crisis. Find out more about the arguments for and against. (This show originally aired on Sept. 2.)
Show Notes
This week we revisit our discussion on universal basic income. The debate over UBI is not a new one, but it has gotten more attention in the wake of the COVID-19 health crisis. A new long-term study on how society would change if people were to receive an unconditional basic income is underway in Germany. The pilot project will involve 120 participants who receive a basic income over the course of three years and hundreds more in a control group who do not.
Host Sylvia Cunningham talks with Michael Bohmeyer, co-founder of the Berlin nonprofit “Mein Grundeinkommen” that is behind the pilot project and Marcel Fratzscher, president of the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW) in Berlin. We also hear from Sabine Heißner, who received a basic income from “Mein Grundeinkommen” in 2019; Alan Posener, a Berlin-based journalist and staunch critic of unconditional basic income; and Antti Jauhiainen, chairman of the economic think tank Parecon Finland.
This show was produced by Monika Müller-Kroll and Sylvia Cunningham.
What is Studio Berlin?
"Studio Berlin" is KCRW Berlin's weekly current affairs show delving into recent events and how they affect people in Germany's capital and beyond. Once a week, hosts Sumi Somaskanda and Sylvia Cunningham talk to experts, journalists and policymakers to make sense of the news that matters.