The effect of universal basic income on the labourmarket : a systematic literature review

Abstract

[EN] Universal Basic Income has largely been discussed as a policy to reduce poverty and inequality. However, policy-makers and citizens are skeptical over the negative effects this policy could have in other areas, crucially, employment. To continue to unravel the effects of UBI, this paper has systematically analyzed data from eight flexible UBI pilots, as well as eleven quasi-UBI examples that add evidence to an otherwise limited sample of basic income experiences. Results conclude that the labour market suffered no significant effect, not in the case of labour supply, nor labour force participation. The minimal reductions observed were interpreted as positive incentives generated by UBI to reduce child labor, allow for higher parental presence in the home, increase school enrolment, improve the national skill portfolio, and flexibilize work for women in various circumstances. The review was limited by the lack of a perfect UBI sample, a shortage in experiments that allowed for a long-term analysis, and the impossibility to include examples in more diverse regions due to insufficient fulfillment of UBI components. [ES] La Renta Básica Universal se ha propuesto como instrumento para la reducción de la pobreza y la desigualdad. Sin embargo, tanto los poderes públicos como la opinión ciudadana se sienten escépticos al momento de implementarla como política, preocupados por sus consecuencias potenciales en el sector del empleo y la producción. Para determinar los verdaderos efectos de la RBU, este proyecto ha analizado sistemáticamente los datos de ocho pilotos de RBU, así como once ejemplos de semi-RBU que añaden información a una muestra anormalmente reducida. Los resultados concluyen que el mercado laboral no sufrió efectos negativos en ninguna de las dos variables medidas: Oferta de Trabajo y Participación en el Mercado Laboral.