Finland's Basic Income Experiment Is Too Timid

Finland's flirtation with an unconditional, universal basic income has entered a decisive stage: Draft legislation for a pilot project has been presented for public discussion, which will run until Sept. 9. It's clear that what the Nordic nation wants to try is neither overly ambitious nor particularly useful.

Paying every citizen of a country the same amount of money in lieu of most or all social benefits is a tempting idea. Leftists like it because, theoretically, it eliminates abject poverty. Techie utopians see it as a solution to the displacement of humans by machines. Intellectuals appreciate state support for creative endeavors with an unclear commercial potential. Libertarians see an opportunity to shrink government: The enormous social services apparatus could be eliminated and legislation vastly simplified. Academic experiments, however, have been too piecemeal and small-scale, so it's hard for most people to imagine how basic income would work.