How would providing UBI impact structural poverty?
This podcast adopts a refreshing view on what Universal Basic Income means for South Africa. Joined by Kelle Howson and Zimbali Mncube from the institute for Economic Justice, ERSA’s host delves into a broader sociological view which allows the benefits of a universal basic income to be explored beyond the well-known economic constraints like affordability. […]
Can a universal basic income contribute to breaking structural poverty in South Africa?
Discussion Document 03 Much of the debate about the introduction of a universal basic income grant (UBIG) in South Africa is concerned with its feasibility and sustainability. This paper asks important questions, but they can only be understood in relation to the long-term social and economic benefits of a UBIG. In a wide-ranging review of […]
Universal Basic Income: How the experience in developing countries can inform the discussion in South Africa
Discussion Document 01 This paper considers how the COVID-19 pandemic gave new traction to the discussion about Universal Basic Income (UBI), particularly in South Africa, where members of government and civil society have been advocating for transforming the special COVID-19 social relief of distress grant into a UBI scheme. The present report aims at contributing […]
Flexibility of choice versus reduction of ambiguity
This paper explores the problem of a social planner willing to improve the welfare of individuals who are unable to compare all available alternatives. The optimal decision trades off the individuals’ desire for flexibility versus their aversion towards ambiguous choice situations. We introduce an axiom system that formalizes this idea. Our main result characterizes the […]
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