One function of an unconditional basic income is to enable and encourage people to be active with a view to social benefit, even apart from commercial interests. This effect is desired, but it is not necessary for the functioning of a basic income system.
Even with „selfish“ people, an economic system in which there is an unconditional basic income would work well. As a rule, people want social recognition. For many, that will be reason enough to want to do something – even without giving much thought to the function of their activity for the common good. In addition, there are financial incentives that work better than they do today. At the moment, there are poorly paid employees and precarious self-employed who have no more money in their accounts than unemployed recipients of the german Bürgergeld (formerly Hartz IV). Those who receive a Bürgergeld, on the other hand, have hardly any financial incentive to earn extra money because of the horrendous deductions. The introduction of an unconditional basic income eliminates these absurdities. If both employed and non-employed people receive the basic income equally, taking up gainful employment means additional income in any case. Such a system does not presuppose „the better person“, but works perfectly well even if the majority has its own purse in mind first and foremost.
Read more at Hamburger Netzwerk Grundeinkommen link (currently available in German only)