Universal Basic Income and its Compatibility with Amartya Sen

Guilherme Martelli  Moreira; André Folloni; Melina Carla de Souza  Britto

doi:10.5007/2177-7055.2023.e94241

Authors

Guilherme Martelli Moreira Centro Universitário de Pato Branco https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9286-7706
André Folloni Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8186-7305
Melina Carla de Souza Britto Universidade Estadual de Ponta Grossa https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7699-6957

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5007/2177-7055.2023.e94241

Keywords:

Universal Basic Income, Capabilities, Functionings, Capability approach

Abstract

Parijs advocates for a basic income as a means of achieving a society that upholds individual rights and allows people to pursue their interests. For him, a just society has an enforced structure of rights; this structure is such that each person owns herself and permits each person to have the greatest possible opportunity to do whatever she wants. Conversely, Sen aims to enhance human life by expanding capabilities and promoting development through policy and political changes. For him, development has two aspects. Firstly, it pertains to evaluating improvements in human lives as an explicit development objective and employing human achievements as crucial indicators of progress. Secondly, the agency aspect focuses on what human beings can do to attain these improvements. In this article, we explore whether these theories share common ground and could be reconciled. Initially, we analyze Parijs’ theory to understand the concept of basic income. Then, we study Sen’s theory, focusing on functionings and capabilities. Subsequently, we inspect whether guaranteeing a income expands freedom. Ultimately, we conclude that the basic income is compatible with the capability approach but should not be implemented by itself. The analysis employs the deductive approach method and the indirect documentary research technique.

Author Biographies

Guilherme Martelli Moreira, Centro Universitário de Pato Branco

M.Sc in Law and Specialist in Tax Law by the Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná
(PUCPR). Lawyer. Tenured Assistant Professor of Tax Law at Centro Universitário de Pato Branco (UNIDEP).

André Folloni, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná

Professor at Postgraduate Program in Law and Dean at Pontifícia Universidade Católica (PUCPR). DSc in Law by Universidade Federal do Paraná (UFPR). ORCID: 0000-0002-8186-7305. Lattes: http://lattes.cnpq.br/7669240054308783. E-mail: folloni.andre@pucpr.br.

Melina Carla de Souza Britto, Universidade Estadual de Ponta Grossa

Social Sciences’ PhD candidate at the Universidade Estadual de Ponta Grossa (UEPG). M.Sc in Law by Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná (PUCPR). Specialist in Tax Law by Universidade Anhanguera and in Public Law by Centro Universitário de Maringá. Bachelor in Law by Universidade Estadual de Ponta Grossa (UEPG). (PUCPR). Professor of Law and Technology at Escola da Magistratura do Paraná (ESMAFE). ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7699-6957. Lattes: http://lattes.cnpq.br/1558310047406116. E-mail: melinabritto.adv@gmail.com.

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