by youthscholars

 

In a presentation for the Spring 2025 UBI Youth Scholars Program, BIEN Executive Council Chair Dr. Sarath Davala discussed the meaning of Universal Basic Income (UBI), emphasizing five core components that distinguish it from other social welfare programs. Davala stressed that while many programs are associated with UBI, they often do not meet the “standard definition” of what a true basic income entails.

“When I use the word basic income, these are the five elements, core components of a basic income,” Davala stated, outlining a framework that champions universality, cash payments, and individual empowerment.

The five pillars of what the speaker called a “pure basic income” are:

• Universal: The payment is for everyone. “Every man, woman and child, every human being,” Davala clarified, adding that it should be for every “normal resident of a political territory,” not just citizens. This is in direct contrast to targeted programs that provide aid only to specific groups such as the poor or disabled.
• Cash: The benefit must be in the form of “hard cash,” not vouchers, food stamps, or digital currency that can be restricted. Davala emphasized the importance of choice, asking, “If your dad gives you a credit card and says you can only buy notebooks, would you like to have that card?” The underlying principle is to give recipients the “freedom and choice” to use the money as they see fit.
• Individual: The money is given to each individual, not the head of the household. He said this is a crucial element for empowerment, particularly for women. “If you give it to the head of the household who is usually a male, the spending will happen according to the wishes of the head of the household,” Davala explained. For children under 18, the payment is typically given to the mother.
• Periodic: Payments should be made regularly, such as monthly or even weekly. “It should be every month, like the way you get a salary, like the way you get a scholarship, like the way you get a pension,” Davala said. This regular, predictable income is different from a one-time grant.
• Unconditional: There should be “no conditions whatsoever.” This means no requirements to qualify for the payment, and no strings attached to how the money is spent.

During the presentation, one of the youth mentors Tim questioned the monthly frequency, suggesting that more frequent payments could be possible. Davala agreed, stating, “Absolutely. I mean there’s no objection to that at all. It can be weekly.”

The proposed “ideal basic income” represents a significant shift in thinking about social safety nets, placing trust and freedom directly in the hands of individuals. This is “truly, truly very different from the way welfare is done in any country at the moment,” which is often “conditional, targeted, so on and so forth,” Davala concluded.