> However what is seemingly _never_ studied is how to finance such an operation
You haven't understood the concept of UBI. It doesn't have to be "financed". It's a different way of assigning tax and benefits.
E.g. imagine a population of only two people, Alice and Bob. Currently Alice pays £100 in tax, and Bob receives £50 in welfare payments because he's unemployed.
You could set up a UBI scheme to be net zero. Under this UBI system, Alice would pay £150 in tax, and receive £50 in UBI. Bob would receive £50 in UBI instead of benefits.
It doesn't have to cost anything (in theory). You could make it redistributive, but it doesn't have to be.
The proponents of UBI would say it's worth it because you wouldn't have the expense and unfairness of means testing for benefits, and Bob would have the incentive to look for work (any work) without any reduction in benefits. In addition people could do things like start companies on a small guaranteed wage with less risk.
Opposers of UBI would say some proportion of people wouldn't work at all if they were guaranteed an income.
There are likely many more advantages and disadvantages that would only become apparent if a country actually tried it.
You haven't understood the concept of UBI. It doesn't have to be "financed". It's a different way of assigning tax and benefits.
E.g. imagine a population of only two people, Alice and Bob. Currently Alice pays £100 in tax, and Bob receives £50 in welfare payments because he's unemployed.
You could set up a UBI scheme to be net zero. Under this UBI system, Alice would pay £150 in tax, and receive £50 in UBI. Bob would receive £50 in UBI instead of benefits.
It doesn't have to cost anything (in theory). You could make it redistributive, but it doesn't have to be.
The proponents of UBI would say it's worth it because you wouldn't have the expense and unfairness of means testing for benefits, and Bob would have the incentive to look for work (any work) without any reduction in benefits. In addition people could do things like start companies on a small guaranteed wage with less risk.
Opposers of UBI would say some proportion of people wouldn't work at all if they were guaranteed an income.
There are likely many more advantages and disadvantages that would only become apparent if a country actually tried it.