For the advocates of basic income as an instrument to guarantee real freedom, the capabilities approach constitutes an important challenge. It seems that a universal in-cash benefit, such as basic income, would not play any role in a theory so aware of the diversity of people and so skeptic of the idea that real freedom would be achieved only thanks to higher income. But this assumption, which appears correct at first sight, is not confirmed after a careful evaluation of Sen’s proposal. In the article, the author shows how basic income would be a good instrument to fulfil what Sen calls “protective security”. The article tackles the question regarding how basic income could take some diversity in people’s capabilities into account, thanks to the concept of undominated diversity.
Full references: MURRA, Emanuele (2012), “Il Basic Income nella prospettiva delle Capabilities. Sicurezza protettiva e diversità non dominate’, Notizie di Politeia, 105, 2012.
How about equal access to credit and capital produced by the federal reserve? The only reason we have income disparity is the federal reserve’s policy of only rewarding the rich by giving them access and forcing everyone else to beg for handouts.