Why China Could Surprise the World by Being the First Country to Adopt UBI (opens in new tab)

In a way, China did already have a form of UBI in the past. When I visited China in 1993, almost everyone was part of a 'Unit' that provided all the basic needs, such as housing, heating, schooling, medical treatment, and such. Large units would have their own schools and restaurants. My then mother-in-law received about 200 Yuan as a pension (women retired around 55, if I remember correctly), and that was enough for buying food and clothing. All other things were provided for free by the unit. The luxury item at that time was a (land-line) telephone for which there was a waiting list at the unit. It was all rather basic, but sufficinient. Houses (mostly flats) were assigned by the management of the unit and there was quite a bit of social control. I was told that within the yard (about 200 houses) everyone knew you I was.

I guess, that officially everyone is still part of a unit, but that for many people this is just an adminstrative issue, and a lot of people have a job and/or properties outside the unit.

Xi doesn't want welfare state. So model is not going to be UBI cash money cheques. It's going to be social transfer in kind like cafeterias in this article. Well not until they sort out e-yuan and better direct consumption.

https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2023/10/10/h...

The other point not contemplated is PRC building out basic welfare net (but not welfare state) is probably not going to be very onerous due to income inequality. 600M on 1000rmb household spending, 900m on 2000rmb household spending, with high home ownership, and high safings. 2/3 of population are poor enough they can be provided for with single digit GDP spending.

Imagine living in a place where you are dependent on a UBI, but you only get enough to not starve if your social credit score is above an arbitrary threshold. That's a very effective program for social control.