Universal basic income | Good News for Humankind

Aerial view of a low-lying Pacific atoll surrounded by turquoise ocean for an article about Marshall Islands universal basic income — 13 words

Marshall Islands launches national universal basic income built into digital currency

By Peter Schulte / December 22, 2025 / Good News For Humankind

The Marshall Islands has become the first nation to embed universal basic income directly into its national currency, the SOV, automatically distributing a share of newly minted tokens to every citizen through code rather than bureaucracy. This matters because it bypasses the traditional welfare apparatus entirely, delivering cash transfers at the monetary level and reaching citizens regardless of their access to conventional banking. For a remote Pacific nation of 42,000 people facing rising seas and financial exclusion, the innovation is both practical and historic, offering a potential template for other small island states with limited fiscal capacity.

A musician playing traditional Irish fiddle outdoors, for an article about basic income for artists in Ireland

Ireland’s basic income for artists pilot is set to become permanent

By Peter Schulte / October 27, 2025 / Good News For Humankind

Basic income for artists proved its worth in Ireland’s three-year pilot, with evaluation data showing increased creative output, improved mental health, and more ambitious work across all disciplines. Roughly 2,000 artists received approximately €325 per week through a lottery system, freeing them from precarious side work and enabling projects that market pressures would otherwise have made impossible. The Irish government has now named permanent implementation a formal policy goal, potentially making Ireland a global model for treating cultural labor as a public good. Challenges around access equity and legal permanence remain, but the evidence is clear: economic stability helps artists create more and better work.

Kenya trial examines effect of universal basic income during pandemic

By Peter Schulte / November 18, 2020 / Good news links

Unique new research is looking at the effects of UBI during a pandemic by analyzing data from a massive ongoing 12-year income study in Kenya, and its conclusion suggests the policy may help individual well-being but it is not a silver-bullet solution in times of extreme disruption.

Compton to launch America’s biggest guaranteed income program

By Peter Schulte / October 22, 2020 / Good news links

Following in Stockton’s footsteps, the city of Compton, California, has launched its own basic income program called the Compton Pledge that will aim to assist 800 people through no-strings-attached direct cash payments over two years.

A homeless man sitting next to a sign and his luggage

Canadian experiment giving homeless people $7500 proves promising

By Peter Schulte / October 16, 2020 / Good news links

The New Leaf project took 115 homeless people who were confirmed not to have serious mental or substance abuse problems, and put $7,500 in the pockets of 50 of them to see if they could turn their life around. One entire year later, most recipients still had $1,000 in savings and 67% were could still feed themselves every day.

Germany is beginning a universal-basic-income trial with people getting $1,400 a month for 3 years

By Peter Schulte / August 25, 2020 / Good news links

120 volunteers will get monthly payments of €1,200, or about $1,400, as part of a study testing a universal basic income.
The study will compare the experiences of the 120 volunteers with 1,380 people who do not receive the payments.

vidar nordli mathisen HGqJq vglc unsplash

Pittsburgh launches ‘guaranteed income’ program with Jack Dorsey donation

By Peter Schulte / August 5, 2020 / Good news links

Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto announced that his city is now joining 15 other American cities in a program receiving funding from Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, in which eligible residents will receive $500 in monthly “guaranteed income.”

The money used to start the program will come from funds Dorsey gave that is allowing Pittsburgh and 15 other cities to help those who are struggling during the economic crisis brought about by the coronavirus pandemic.

Los Angeles, Atlanta among cities joining coalition to test universal basic income

By Peter Schulte / June 29, 2020 / Good news links

The mayors of Los Angeles, Oakland, Atlanta, Georgia, Tacoma, Newark, Saint Paul, Jackson, Compton, Shreveport, and Stockton have joined Mayors For A Guaranteed Income, a coalition advocating for UBI policies, or the idea of giving out recurring cash payments to all individuals without any strings attached.

jorge fernandez salas ChSZETOal I unsplash

Spain introduces basic income scheme to tackle poverty

By Peter Schulte / June 1, 2020 / Good news links

Spain’s government has introduced a basic monthly income for struggling families amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The measure will affect about 2.3 million people in need and guarantees income of maximum $1,100 per family.