“Citizen’s Income is Not Comparable to Basic Income”

Citizen’s income (Bürgergeld), which is to replace the German Hartz-IV system of unemployment benefits in January 2023, is often compared to the idea of basic income in the current political and societal debate. Tobias Dumschat, a researcher at the University of Freiburg’s Freiburg Institute for Basic Income Studies FRIBIS, clarifies: “This comparison is factually and technically just plain wrong.”

Citizen’s income is not unconditional

Only people who are unemployed and do not fall under the premises of Unemployment Benefits I (Arbeitslosengeld I) are entitled to citizen’s income. “There is thus no unconditional right to it,” explains Dumschat. “That contradicts the idea of basic income.” In addition, the needs assessment for citizen’s income will continue to consider assets; those entitled to it will just be permitted higher assets. No needs assessment would be conducted for basic income. “In contrast to citizen’s income, a basic income would be universal,” says the Freiburg researcher. “Every citizen would receive it.”

Full statement:
https://www.fribis.uni-freiburg.de/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Policy-Paper_Tobias-Dumschat_22.09.22.pdf

Tobias Dumschat is addressing the question of what impact a universal basic income (UBI) could have on the care economy in his doctoral dissertation at the University of Freiburg’s Freiburg Institute for Basic Income Studies FRIBIS. In addition, he is interested in ethical and social-psychological issues of UBI. He is available for interviews.

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