This will be difficult. In the optimal case, you'd probably want an entire city to be included. Not necessarily a big city, but one with diversity in race, education and income. Obviously that's not possible, so they'll have to be a bit creative in their sampling and controls.
An important consideration is whether the recipients believe the income is temporary or permanent. They are more likely to give up productive work (i.e. work that others are willing to pay for) if they have long-term assurance that their basic expenses will be guaranteed by outsiders. This experiment, like Mincome, will therefore be a nice bonus for recipients, but they will still have a long-term need to support themselves. The way people think about seeking education, pursuing a career track, and retirement won't change much because of a five-year allowance, though it might if the allowance were understood to be permanent.So it would be good to answer some of the theoretical questions now. Do people sit around and play video games, or do they create new things?
Our idea is to give a basic income to a group of people in the US for a 5 year period
Certainly. I don't think it's possible to do a true study over less than 50 years. We should do the studies we can afford, financially and temporally, and then just implement it. We can repeal it if things explode. Even Congress in their ineptitude has always acted fast in true crises. The alternative is things exploding anyway as labour-based economy fails to keep up with automation. I do take issue with that definition. People aren't willing to pay for many things which are valuable to humanity. Art, philosophy, antibiotics research, space travel, to name a few.They are more likely to give up productive work (i.e. work that others are willing to pay for) if they have long-term assurance that their basic expenses will be guaranteed by outsiders.
productive work (i.e. work that others are willing to pay for)
I salute your moxie! I confess feeling some trepidation at the thought of combining ineptitude and acting fast. How do we know things are valuable to others if no one is willing to pay for them? People pay for all the things you mention. The trend of technology reducing the burden of labor and increasing leisure has been going on for a very long time, and I haven't noticed any explosions yet. Maybe this time it's different.We can repeal it if things explode.
People aren't willing to pay for many things which are valuable to humanity.
The alternative is things exploding anyway as labour-based economy fails to keep up with automation.