Does money make people happy but lazy? Finland put this to the test!

It all began with the assumption that if you have the money to live decently, you will become happier and more motivated to find a work you desire and realize your dreams. That was the concept behind the Universal Basic Income that Finland experimented with during the last two years. 2.000 unemployed people were the sample. Today, the results are in. And they are not what you would expect. But what is the Universal Basic Income in the first place and why did a country with such low unemployment like Finland choose to put it to the test on its people?

Free money, no strings attached!
If you were unemployed and lucky enough to be included in the experiment, you would get 560 euros per month. Period.  Regardless of your income or wealth. No questions asked. No prerequisites like showing you seek a job or accepting the first job offer that comes your way.Also, no taxation. What Finland wanted to test was the impact this basic income would have on the well-being of its people. The basic question -rather challenge- was if it could boost employment and entrepreneurship. And ultimately make people feel happier with the present and safer about their future. Now the experiment is over and the first results are in.They found that it did not have any significant effect on employment: people would not get a job easier or faster nor set-up their own business. Goal no 1 failed. But they also found that it had a really positive effect on their well-being. People felt happier and more optimistic about the future. They also established more trust towards the state and the politicians. Goal no 2 achieved. But in the end, is the Universal Basic Income what the society really needs? Was it an overall success or a failure? What matters more? Employment or happiness?

Despite these results, the Finns don’t give up. The results will be further studied and evaluated. Many claim that they may become the basis of a new model of social coherence in the future. The established Nordic model of social welfare, based on the concept of “high taxes – generous benefits for all” may take a new twist. In the meantime, the Finns call for their residents to become the country’s happiness guides. The “Rent a Finn” campaign aims at showing to the country’s international visitors that the secret to happiness is doing it the Finnish way: embracing nature.