The elusive promise of universal social protection: the case of the Greek general minimum income (GMI)

Purpose The need to alleviate poverty and achieve the United Nations (UN) 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through Universal Social Protection (USP) mechanisms is a high priority for governments international organisations (IOs). This paper focuses on recent introduction of general minimum income (GMI) in Greece, context diffusion governing expertise. It examines whether “universal” scheme being implemented constitutes paradigm shift likely offer solutions country's previous fragmented unjust welfare system, problems society has faced since 2010s depression. Design/methodology/approach uses critical grounded theory, with data gathering iterative field observations semi-structured interviews. Findings Results highlight elusiveness USP normative promises: rather than enhancing people's effective freedoms act as self-determining agents, pushes poor adapt current degraded socio-economic conditions. Participation shadow economy structural feature USP; it implicitly tolerated insofar regarded, words World Bank (WB), an “engine growth”. institutional governance challenge implementation expansion social programmes could compromise SDGs Agenda. Originality/value While research date examined “modernisation” Greek system national or comparative perspective, adds literature by framing study global policy, shedding light discrepancies between internationally designed aims USP.