Some prospects for a basic income scheme in Spain

This article discusses the prospects of a Basic Income scheme in the context of the Spanish welfare state. After reviewing the relationship between Basic Income and different welfare regimes, and the main features of Spanish welfare policy, three main issues are adressed: first, the specific problems of financing a Basic Income in Spain; second, the problem of the eventual transition from contributory benefits to a Basic Income scheme; and third, some distributive effects of the reform. It is argued that, since the main social benefits in Spain are contributory, the second problem appears as a key for the future of the proposal.