[bcheung]

You actually raise a good point about testing it. If you have heard of the Sea Steading Institute they are proposing that we establish a bunch of "startup" style countries to examine which policies and solutions will work and which won't. The problem with basic income though is that it relies on captive individuals (value producers who pay tax) and given the choice they are most likely going to move to somewhere that doesn't force them to pay as much tax. I can't see how socialism can survive without forcing people against their will.

[ende]

This assumes that a basic income is funded through income taxation. Instead, fund it through a land value tax (a rent on land ownership paid to society). The LVT is just the cost of investment, like any business owner renting space to run their business on.