[mcbobgorge]

I'm not the user you're asking but the same logic holds true for UBI, yes. The societies with the most effective social welfare programs do it via a robust and de-stigmatized social safety net. I think most of the common criticisms of UBI (it will make people lazy, its not fair, it will cause inflation etc) are silly, and I also generally support universal programs over means testing or exemptions. Still, I will be a skeptic until I see a somewhat large scale successful rollout of a UBI program beyond just studies and pilots.

[bongoman37]

Many of the Persian Gulf GCC nations essentially had a form of generous UBI since the early 80s. It has certainly made people far less enterprising and productive. Inflation hasnt happened since they import the vast majority of their requirements. It has led to increased religiosity etc since people are freed up to engage in religious activities all day long and don't necessarily have to develop skills like social competency or engage with others.

[vladms]

Many north African and middle eastern states tried to switch to democracy and that did not go as planned either, would that mean that democracy does not work?

Any policy (UBI or others) must take into account the state and potential of the country. Based on the Gulf state UBI example (if correct, I did not check) it would mean that with their initial conditions UBI will not result in developing skills (although, thinking of it, maybe their purpose of giving UBI was close to the one observed, their ruler don't strike me as very progressive).

[scoopdewoop]

In a world where we produced so much that we have caused climate change and mass extinction, I can't imagine people being less enterprising and productive being a truly bad thing.

[mothballed]

A weird side-effect of this is UAE/Dubai, and to a lesser extent some of the other gulf states, have become far more open to relative free trade and immigration as a result now that the citizen's cake is assured and immigrants are not much a threat. Now Dubai is a burgeoning hub of relative "free trade" and international commerce, with pretty lax visa rules for people from surrounding more trade hostile countries to run a business in a more business friendly environment, in a region that prior was fairly impenetrable.