The active dimension of Minimum Income : entrenched in negative incentives

Abstract

In 2018, Italy introduced a means-tested minimum income scheme called reddito di cittadinanza (RdC). The RdC aimed to alleviate poverty while incorporating an activation dimension to prevent poverty traps and foster employment. Nevertheless, only negative incentives were introduced, such as conditionality requirements. rather than positive activation measures like effective training or employment services. This creates access barriers that limits RdC's poverty reduction capacity, while being ineffective to enhance individual's employment capacity.