Unconditional basic income as a means to foster innovation in Iceland

• Main Author: Wacker, Tyler James, 1990-
• Other Authors: Háskólinn á Akureyri
• Format: Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: 2022
• Subjects: Háskólasetur Vestfjarða; Sjávarbyggðafræði; Fiskveiðikvóti; Einkavæðing; Fólksfækkun; University centre of the Westfjords; Coastal communities and regional development; Economy; Fishing quotas; Depopulation; Innovation; Geira; Iceland
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1946/42997

Since the privatization of Icelandic fishing quotas in the 1990s and the 2008 financial crisis, Iceland has diversified its economy from traditional fishing to tourism and energy for aluminum production (Sæþórsdóttir & Hall 2019). Communities that previously relied on the fishing industry have transitioned between the two sectors or creating their own path. Depopulation and occasionally abandonment is not uncommon in Iceland for those that cannot create a new path (Kokorsch & Benediktsson 2017). While there is still much to debate whether it is a result of the privatization of fishing quotas or just a product of urbanization (Kokorsch & Benediktsson 2017), Iceland is experiencing depopulation in the outlying communities as the Capital Area continues to grow. Innovative capacity and economic capital are crucial for the diversification of local economies (Kokorsch & Benediktsson 2017). The master’s thesis research will examine how unconditional basic income (UBI) in Iceland could foster innovation throughout Iceland and enhance resilience in the outlying communities. UBI could be used as a means to create an environment for innovation for all industries in Iceland but the research will follow the creative class since they are more likely to be the first to innovate if UBI was implemented. The research will also seek to determine how much money is determined to be appropriate for UBI. This research will finally focus on migration motivations from outlying communities to the capital area and how a UBI could influence these decisions. The project utilized a mixed-methods approach with semi-structured interviews and an online survey. Frá einkavæðingu innlenda fiskveiðikvótans á tíunda áratug 20. aldar og fjármálakreppunni 2008, hefur Ísland aukið fjölbreytni hagkerfisins frá hefðbundnum fiskveiðum til ferðaþjónustu og orku til álframleiðslu. Samfélög sem áður treystu á fiskiðnaðinn hafa verið í umbreytingu milli þessara tveggja geira eða skapað sína eigin leið. Fólksfækkun og stundum brotthvarf eru ...