The perceived identity of policy participants: The agenda-building process of universal basic income in South Korea

Abstract

Due to a detrimental impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on domestic economies, many countries have considered adopting government programs that can stimulate individual consumption, such as a universal basic income. Since such programs would potentially require greater bureaucratic involvement, how civil servants evaluate the introduction of these programs has important implications for policy implementation. In this study, we develop a vignette survey experiment to understand how the perceived identity of those who drive the development of these programs, from the agenda-setting to the next stage, shapes civil servants' assessments. Specifically, we propose four different participants with their roles related to the programs in this process as main treatment conditions. Analyzing original data of more than 4000 civil servants from central and local governments in South Korea, we find that civil servants have more positive perceptions when a basic income policy evolves through incorporating academic experts' advice. We further find that central and local bureaucrats have different preferences, as the former actually consider reflecting demands from the public more important in this process.