A basic income experiment in Germany has yielded largely positive conclusions for researchers.
The organisation Mein Grundeinkommen revealed the findings on Wednesday from the study, which was overseen by economists.
From June 2021 to May 2024, around a hundred participants received an unconditional basic income of €1,200 per month. According to the organisers, this was "the largest worldwide study on basic income conducted by civil society."
Mein Grundeinkommen conducted the study in collaboration with the economic research institute DIW and several European universities. The study focused on individuals aged 21 to 40, earning between €1,100 and €2,600 monthly.
Researchers noted that receiving a basic income did not lead to participants quitting their jobs or reducing their weekly working hours. Ninety percent worked an average of 40 hours per week, similar to the comparable control group.
According to DIW, the study helps to dispel certain clichés and stereotypes about basic income, such as the notion that it leads to a 'lazy' society where recipients do nothing.
Participants saved more than a third of their basic income, averaging €779 monthly, which is double the normal amount. Additionally, improvements were observed in sleep quality and leisure activities.
While the basic income concept was once championed by the German left, it is no longer a topic of discussion.
