Anthony Painter

2018

Want a less polarised society? Try a universal basic income

The rise of digital technology has helped to widen the divide between rich and poor. So what can we do about economic insecurity and our increasingly polarised society? Drawing on evidence from around the world, Anthony Painter argues powerfully for an universal basic income, suggesting that the introduction of a universal basic opportunity fund would be a good place to start.

Anthony Painter leads the award winning Action and Research Centre at the Royal Society of Arts, and its three teams focusing on economy, education, public services and communities. His own research focuses on a range of policy issues including the impact of new technology on the economy and society, and institutional change.

He is author of three books, most recently “Left without a future? Social Justice in anxious times” and a number of high impact policy and research reports such as “Creative citizen, creative state: the principled and pragmatic case for a Universal Basic Income”.

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