Russian Experts on Universal Basic Income: Estimates for 2020

Abstract

The article presents the main results of a survey of Russian experts conducted in 2020 with the participation of the authors among representatives of the research community, leading universities, the business community, trade unions and state and municipal government bodies regarding the main theoretical and methodological aspects of the concept of universal basic income (UBI) in relation to Russian conditions, the feasibility of its introduction in Russia, as well as the main parameters of possible transitional forms of UBI for Russia. The palette of the obtained expert assessments, generalized and systematized in the following areas, is shown: 1) UBI criteria; 2) Russia's readiness for the introduction of UBI; 3) current challenges for Russia (priority goals of the introduction of UBI, forms of implementation, sources of funding, method of implementation, experiments on the introduction of UBI); 4) risks and positive effects of the introduction of UBI. It was revealed that a common position among experts regarding Russia's readiness to introduce UBI has not yet been formed: almost half of the interviewed experts spoke in favor of the feasibility of implementing transitional forms of UBI in our country, a slightly smaller group of experts believes that Russia is not ready to introduce UBI in principle. Experts associate the primary goals of the possible introduction of UBI in Russia, first of all, with the mitigation (overcoming) of the problems of poverty and socio-economic inequality, ensuring a minimum standard of living for vulnerable categories of the population, ensuring social justice (the right to life, equal opportunities). Support for the idea of implementing a pilot project (projects) for the introduction of UBI was revealed. The opinions of experts on the target categories of the population during the implementation of experiments on the introduction of UBI, the methods of their formation, and the duration of pilot projects were obtained.