Experiment in Finland With Guaranteed Income Creates Less Stress but No Jobs
Early results from pilot program find a set income doesn’t encourage people to find work, but neither does it turn them against employment
Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk, Richard Branson and other tech titans are promoting the idea of universal basic income as a way to help citizens weather job disruptions caused by emerging technologies. Canada is giving it a try, with a pilot program that gives participants up to $17,000 annually for three years — no strings attached. WSJ’s Jason Bellini checks in on this free money experiment. Image: Ryno Eksteen and Adele Morgan
A much-watched experiment in Finland failed to provide evidence that offering people a guaranteed income is the answer to some of the insecurities caused by potentially profound changes in the jobs market.
Early results from a pilot program suggest that providing unemployed people with a minimum income doesn’t encourage them to find work, given that Finland’s complex social-welfare system can decrease a person’s income when they find work. But neither does it turn them against employment.
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