The idea of Universal Basic Income was put in the form of a referendum to the Swiss electorate who rejected it at the time. Now in Finland Sini Martinnen has been chosen like many other Finns to receive payment of 560.00 Euros (£495) as a social experiment possibly to introduce the system if successful.

At the time she received a letter from the government to say she had been selected to receive it she was unemployed. She is well educated and was living on her savings in a well to do suburb of Helsinki. Since she has been receiving UBI (Universal Basic Income) she has found a job.

Even though she has a job now and has savings she will still receive the payment.

UBI will be paid to rich or poor or whether you are working or not. Martinnen has said being on UBI has given her more freedom and not so dependant on her savings or the money she receives from work.

Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerburg endorse UBI

Founder of Space X Elon Musk, and Facebook chief Mark Zuckerburg, have endorsed the idea of UBI. Both these entrepreneurs run global technology companies and know the affect automation will have on jobs.

Automation is beginning to and will have a massive effect on jobs across the board especially those where technology is involved. According to Oxford University, half of all jobs in the US could be lost to automation.

The Bank of England has similar gloomy news for the British workforce that a third of jobs in the UK will be affected.

Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell has expressed interest in the idea and this current government will have to as well at some stage. In fact, UBI is going to be trialled in the UK in Scotland, endorsed and funded apparently by the Scottish government.

In 2019 Fife Council will be running the experiment along with Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Ayrshire councils. Whatever you think of Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP it seems they are not afraid to grasp the nettle over UBI. Just because UBI may be successful in those relatively small countries how will it play out in the rest of the world?

UBI: Utopia for all?

On face value paying everyone an allowance regardless of your financial or social standing sounds good in principle. But critics, while admitting something must be done to blunt the edge of automation for those unlucky enough to lose their jobs through it, have their doubts.

They see UBI and the perfect society it apparently paints as being naive at best. While they have the right to sound off about their doubts something must be done for those affected by automation and if not UBI, then what?

Certainly, UBI would end the welfare system as we know it and in theory, give people free lives. Where people would not have to worry about jobs and devote their lives to more pleasurable things in life. The proof as to whether all this works out will be as they say in the Pudding.