Universal Basic Income as a Social Innovation: A Study of its Acceptance Among the Middle-Income Class in Spain

Abstract Universal Basic Income (UBI) is revolutionary and simple at the same time and elicits both attraction and aversion from the general public. This is one of the reasons why, despite its potential to contribute to some of the most pressing current challenges, UBI has not yet been implemented in any country in the world, at least at a system-wide scale. By drawing on innovation theories and adopting a mixed methods approach, this exploratory study investigates public acceptance of UBI in Spain. This study contributes to the emerging literature on public opinion on a UBI as well as to the field of innovation of public policies.