Well, one big difference is that it doesn't create those perverse incentives that prevent people from moving off of the dole roles. It also removes a whole lot of administrative costs, and it kills the issue of gaming the system. You get what you get, and there's simply no way to get more from the government.
I've been curious for awhile: in the USA, if you took Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, food stamps, student loans, welfare and rolled them all up into one fund that was evenly divided to each person, how much would you have given out? Turns out the number is about $6-7k per capita. That's... not enough, but a pretty decent start. The economics suggest it would increase overall productivity, which would bring in a bit more tax revenue by itself. But taxes would have to be raised significantly--but not an obscene amount--to make it work.
I've been curious for awhile: in the USA, if you took Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, food stamps, student loans, welfare and rolled them all up into one fund that was evenly divided to each person, how much would you have given out? Turns out the number is about $6-7k per capita. That's... not enough, but a pretty decent start. The economics suggest it would increase overall productivity, which would bring in a bit more tax revenue by itself. But taxes would have to be raised significantly--but not an obscene amount--to make it work.