John Maynard Keynes on Universal Basic Income

Abstract John Maynard Keynes has not normally been seen as a basic income supporter, but two letters written by Keynes during the Second World War suggest that he had thought seriously about the idea and was attracted to the principle. Basic income fitted well with Keynes’ liberal values and his long-range optimism about economic possibilities. In the short term, however, Keynes believed it would be a mistake to put the idea on the political agenda before the time was ripe.