Has a Basic Income Ever Been Tried in the Developing World?

Abstract This chapter considers the enactment of universal basic income (UBI) in developing countries, particularly in Namibia, India, and Kenya. These experiments differ from the earlier NIT experiments described elsewhere. The experiments in the developing world focused on testing a UBI and not an NIT and reflect different socioeconomic contexts and changes in interests since the earlier NIT experiments. Moreover, instead of the governments, experiments in the developing world have primarily been funded by private institutions. The chapter explains that the experiments were conducted in the context of dire poverty. It highlights how the UBI affects economic, physical, and social well-being and discerns any larger-scale macroeconomic effects.