Inequality in the Digital Economy

Andrew White's 'Inequality in the Digital Economy: The Case for a Universal Basic Income' examines how digital markets concentrate wealth and reshape labor, producing greater inequality and precarious employment.

Drawing on historical comparisons between industrial-era employment and modern tech-driven firms, White argues that automation and platform dynamics threaten job creation and social stability.

He situates universal basic income (UBI) within broader debates about sustainability, the value of different kinds of work, and redistributive policy, evaluating pilots and models such as Alaska's Permanent Fund.

The book advocates for phased implementation and complementary structural reforms to avoid UBI becoming a mere sticking plaster that entrenches existing inequalities.

It links environmental limits, the changing social meaning of work, and policy design to make a progressive case for UBI in advanced economies.