Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk, Richard Branson and other tech titans are promoting the idea of universal basic income as a way to help citizens weather job disruptions caused by emerging technologies. Canada is giving it a try, with a pilot program that gives participants up to $17,000 annually for three years — no strings attached. WSJ’s Jason Bellini checks in on this free money experiment. Image: Ryno Eksteen and Adele MorganA much-watched experiment in Finland failed to provide evidence that offering people a guaranteed income is the answer to some of the insecurities caused by potentially profound changes in the jobs market. Early results from a pilot program suggest that providing unemployed people with a minimum income doesn’t encourage them to find work, given that Finland’s complex social-welfare system can decrease a person’s income when they find work.

Source: Wall Street Journal February 08, 2019 18:30 UTC