Basic Income Guarantee: the gender impact within households

Sara Cantillon, Caitlin McLean

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

13 Citations (Scopus)
198 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

The potential of a Basic Income Guarantee (BIG) to contribute to gender equality is a contested issue amongst feminist scholars. This article focuses on the nature of BIG as an individually- based payment to explore its potential for reducing gender equality, specifically intra-household inequalities in material or financial welfare; economic autonomy; psychological well-being; and time allocation, especially leisure time and time spent in household and care work. We employ a gender analysis of existing BIG pilots/schemes as well as close substitutes (e.g., universal child benefits) to assess some of the key claims about the effects of a basic income (BI) on gendered inequality. We also present findings from empirical work on intra-household allocation and decision-making which underscore the role of independent income. The article finds some support for BIG as a feminist proposal with respect to mitigating intra-household inequality, but concludes that further empirical research is needed to argue persuasively for BIG as an instrument for furthering gender equality.
Original languageEnglish
Article number7
Pages (from-to)97-120
Number of pages24
JournalJournal of Sociology and Social Welfare
Volume43
Issue number3
Publication statusPublished - 30 Nov 2016

Keywords

  • gender equality
  • Basic Income Guarantee
  • financial welfare

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