Universal Basic Income: An Enemy or a Friend of the Working Sovereign?

In this essay, I first provide an overview of the central argument presented in The Working Sovereign by Axel Honneth before examining his perspective on Universal Basic Income (UBI). According to Honneth, UBI has the potential to eliminate the necessity of work, thereby undermining the positive role that meaningful engagement in the sphere of work plays – or could play – in sustaining democracy. He contends that rather than fostering active civic participation, UBI would lead to individualisation and negative social dependency. Furthermore, Honneth argues that UBI could reinforce private interests while weakening the collective bargaining power of trade unions. After outlining his objections, I distinguish between two different models of UBI and present my counterarguments to his critique. Finally, I offer a perspective on how UBI could, contrary to Honneth’s concerns, have a positive impact on both the sphere of work and democratic life.