From Economic Efficiency to Ethical Imperative: Pro Et Contra of the Basic Income

   Aim. To conduct a comprehensive analysis of a basic income (BI) as a multifaceted social-economic mechanism, systematizing positive key arguments and the potential risks of its implementation in the context of structural changes in the labor market initiated by the development of AI technologies.

   Methodology. A wide range of theoretical arguments, grouped by thematic areas (economics, social psychology, politics), were primarily analysed in the study. In addition to a comparative analysis of pros and cons, a consideration of the practical aspects of the design and financing of a BI based on existing theoretical models and existing experiments was also used in the study.

   Results. It has been established that a BI can represent a comprehensive measure with significant potential as a tool for adaptation to automation, economic stabilization, and “cognitive liberation.” Significant risks, including inflation, budget deficits, social segmentation, a crisis of labour identity, and the potential for political abuse, were also identified.

   Research implications. The theoretical significance of the study consists in systematizing disparate arguments about BI into a coherent, multifaceted model, which updates and structures the problematic field. The practical significance of the study lies in identifying key challenges for BI design (financing, benefit size, combating stigma), which can serve as a basis for developing specific policy solutions and applied experiments.

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