Five countries already giving Basic Income

Alaska’s Permanent Fund Dividend is the most famous example of a Universal Basic Income. It is of course a sub-national, being a part of the USA. There are five nations that are giving a Universal Basic Income. Can you guess which ones?

Interestingly, all are Asian. The five Singapore, Hong Kong, Macau, Mongolia and Iran:

  1. Singapore: Growth Dividends share part of the government’s surplus with Singaporeans. All adult Singaporeans will receive Growth Dividends. Those who earn less or live in smaller homes will receive more Growth Dividends.
  2. Hong Kong: Scheme $6,000 is a 2011 Hong Kong Government tax rebate program that gave out HK$6,000 to all adult holders of a Hong Kong permanent identity card, in a bid to “leave wealth with the people”
  3. Macau, an ex-Portuguese colony like Goa, has a Wealth Partaking Scheme. The Wealth Partaking Scheme is a cash disbursement policy to holders of a Macau Resident Identity Card by the Macau Special Administrative Region since 2008. The main purpose of the scheme is to share the results of the region’s economic development with its people and help mitigate the effects of inflation.
  4. Mongolia has been trying to implement a Citizen’s Dividend from its Human Development Fund.
  5. Iran has easily the largest implemented Universal Basic Income, covering some 72 million people and will eventually transfer 15% of National Income. The scheme arose out of a dire need to end petroleum subsidies. Read more in this article.