One of the primary reasons for introducing the discussion about universal basic income
(UBI) into political debate was to understand whether UBI could serve a good response
to the negative consequences of technology‐driven job replacement. It is also a question
whether citizens would accept UBI. Based on 30 interviews with Hungarian university
students, we investigate the attitudes of young citizens to the introduction of UBI
in a hypothetical scenario, situated in 2060, when technological unemployment is high.
Interviewees expressed optimistic views about the future labour market and dismissed
the scenario, preferring the option of job‐creation. Students claimed that people
would become useless members of society by not working, which argument echoes the
Hungarian government's discourse about the need for work‐based society. Students also
stressed that work gives meaning to life. These narratives show a traditional understanding
of work that might inhibit advocates from increasing social support for UBI.
