"that's basic "social welfare". it's not really universal, it's more for those who qualify."
In Finland everybody below certain threshold of financial means qualifies. Addict or criminal, no matter what.
"in certain countries you can even opt out of this safety net."
Of course you can opt out. Enforcing a safety net against an individuals choosing would be against basic human rights.
From economic resourcing point of view it's more or less universal and everyone is included unless they really wish to get away from the system. Drug addict or not, criminal or not. Nobody is forced to take the dole, but from resourcing point of view there is no biological poverty (hunger or lack of housing). Nobody can force you to take this aid. And mental illnesses and addiction always create additional problem no high level scheme can likely address.
So it's not a 100% solution to everyone's woes but close to 90% I would say.
"you mentioned "nordic countries", in reality only Finland tried a small UBI experiment that failed."
You are looking this from a too narrow perspective. What I meant was that the social welfare system in Finalnd (my home country and other nordics) effectively already encompasses a UBI scheme. A defacto UBI scheme, in Finland for example, should replace most of existing social welfare schemes except for medical treatment and child allowances.
The basic thesis is this: the society already uses quite a lot of tax funds for social welfare schemes, some of which are administratively complex and expensive. People can have housing and food. Yet they mostly choose to work when they can.
So the typical counterpoints to UBI - it's too expensive and would make people lazy - don't really apply.
The only thing missing in the Finnish model left is to merge the various wellfare schemes into one UBI scheme.
The experiment you commment was not really. It was "the current social system plus some UBI cash". And I would claim it was a success. People said they felt better. This is a tremendous thing! Mental illness problems are becoming a huge issue. Making peope feel better actually helps to combat this, and may even support people enough that they can heal and be able to work again.
Healing from long depression can take years. The UBI experiment was far too short to actively track these individuals.
In Finland everybody below certain threshold of financial means qualifies. Addict or criminal, no matter what.
"in certain countries you can even opt out of this safety net."
Of course you can opt out. Enforcing a safety net against an individuals choosing would be against basic human rights.
From economic resourcing point of view it's more or less universal and everyone is included unless they really wish to get away from the system. Drug addict or not, criminal or not. Nobody is forced to take the dole, but from resourcing point of view there is no biological poverty (hunger or lack of housing). Nobody can force you to take this aid. And mental illnesses and addiction always create additional problem no high level scheme can likely address.
So it's not a 100% solution to everyone's woes but close to 90% I would say.
"you mentioned "nordic countries", in reality only Finland tried a small UBI experiment that failed."
You are looking this from a too narrow perspective. What I meant was that the social welfare system in Finalnd (my home country and other nordics) effectively already encompasses a UBI scheme. A defacto UBI scheme, in Finland for example, should replace most of existing social welfare schemes except for medical treatment and child allowances.
The basic thesis is this: the society already uses quite a lot of tax funds for social welfare schemes, some of which are administratively complex and expensive. People can have housing and food. Yet they mostly choose to work when they can.
So the typical counterpoints to UBI - it's too expensive and would make people lazy - don't really apply.
The only thing missing in the Finnish model left is to merge the various wellfare schemes into one UBI scheme.
The experiment you commment was not really. It was "the current social system plus some UBI cash". And I would claim it was a success. People said they felt better. This is a tremendous thing! Mental illness problems are becoming a huge issue. Making peope feel better actually helps to combat this, and may even support people enough that they can heal and be able to work again.
Healing from long depression can take years. The UBI experiment was far too short to actively track these individuals.