Role of civil society in realising a universal basic income guarantee

Abstract

A basic income guarantee, like any type of social protection, is a politically contested measure to redistribute wealth in society. This conflict is more than just about winning the battle to secure a commitment from the state to adopt a universal basic income guarantee (UBIG) policy. Once adopted, making sure that the government implements UBIG in the right way radically widens the battlefield. Redistributive conflict was the focus of the fourth UBIG seminar, hosted by the HSRC, the Institute for Economic Justice and the Pay the Grants movement. outh Africa's deep and enduring socioeconomic crises have not yet resulted in a universal basic income guarantee (UBIG). However, with the promise of comprehensive social security reform high on the government's agenda, prospects for a UBIG look more hopeful than in the past. Even so, difficult questions about political tensions around pro-poor redistribution, the political will of the government, and whether civil society groups can meaningfully influence UBIG policy must be answered.