In Germany, and especially in Switzerland, there has been a large UBI movement for many years. One could even vote for a corresponding party in the last elections. I myself was an active member of an organization for some years and I worked practically. I also maintained a special UBI-focused blog and wrote about a hundred articles there, all on the subject.

Since a few years there is a UBI project, which regularly distributes a UBI to winners and collects data through donations here in Germany. I am a silent monthly donor there. The inequality you are talking about is something everyone feels very clearly, especially since the 99% movement and the financial market crash in 2008/2009. Since money has become a virtual good and has in principle been made multipliable without hindrance, inequality is threatening because of this principle of unchecked capital.

In principle, we already have a basic income in Germany, but not unconditionally. Even if an UBI were to come, it would not change the fact that unimaginable amounts of capital are in the hands of a few or individuals who do not have to place democratic principles behind their actions and intentions. All this money tempts individual actors to have strange ideas about their own importance in the world. The most dangerous, in my opinion, are those who want to "save the world" or the people. Such people with a lot of money do not have to seek advice, do not have to bring their decisions through committees, do not have to go through a parliament or a council in order to act.

Actually, a restriction would have to be built in, which would introduce an upper limit of capital in individual hands or organisations at all. Without this limit, I am afraid, inequality will continue to exist.

However, an UBI seems to me to be suitable to dilute the inequality a little and to make oneself partially independent of having to take everything that is suggested as a necessity. The difficulty in making a judgement, in my opinion, is that we do not see or know everything that happens on the side of planetary existence that is considered useful.

Instead of overexploitation, the protection of species (animals and plants), instead of unhindered construction and the consumption of resources, a preservation of unused areas and habitats. Waiting and not acting would be necessary in many parts of the world where people do not have to fight for bare existence - i.e. food and water. To reduce oneself to the maximum and to reduce consumption sharply, to live from existing resources instead of always wanting to have the new.

If you are interested, I will give you some German sources, which I hope are perhaps also published in English.