Aging & Society: Eighth Interdisciplinary Conference

Abstract

It has been largely argued in recent literature on socio-economic justice that Universal Basic Income (UBI) has the potential to provide a solution to feminist concerns about gender justice. UBI is often seen as an instrument of women’s freedom from male domination within both the household and the workplace: it has the potential to empower women’s economic situation, lower the cost of exiting an abusive relationship or job, and offer recognition of the value of many women’s unpaid work. In my paper, I assess what effects UBI could have on the lives of aging women in particular - women who are statistically more likely to be widowed or divorced and who are not participating in the workforce (anymore). I argue that UBI would improve aging women’s economic situation and well-being, and that - unlike alternative policy proposals, such as Job Guarantee and Basic Capital, it would have such an effect on all groups of aging women, regardless of what their history of formal employment has been (if any). The policy therefore does not favour former wage-workers or former caretakers/housewives, but has the potential to benefit both groups equally. Furthermore, given the individual character of UBI, such economic and mental improvement would be of particular significance for elderly women because they are statistically more likely to be unmarried (widowed or divorced) than younger women, and marital disruption by divorce or death of a spouse are among the most psychologically stressful life events and frequently cause socio-economic dislocation.