Contradictions in the social perceptions of the distribution of wealth

Unconditional basic income is a universal cash benefit which does not require a means test and is not linked to employment. Its universality and unconditionality distinguish it from the transfers in the current system of redistribution, which are subject to income and asset tests or willingness to work. There is a growing interest in basic income, yet the values and instinctive responses which its unconditionality and universality produce in people have not been fully explored. The aim of this study is to investigate the values which emerge in relation to unconditional basic income in Hungary in the comments section of YouTube videos on this topic. Our research applies a mixed-method approach; data collection, sentiment analysis, and the bag of words model were implemented using relevant pieces of software, while categorisation was carried out by manual coding. The results show that a negative attitude towards basic income is predominant, and the primary value pattern is related to the performance principle. Regarding the perception of the distribution of wealth generated in the labour market, the comments we examined emphasise performance-based distribution as opposed to the possibility of a fundamental right. In the value system of people social security is strongly linked to work.