Anna Coote contends that the traditional post-war welfare state, founded on universal public services, has been weakened by neoliberal austerity and fragmented policymaking. To renew social democracy, she advocates reinvigorating the principle of Universal Basic Services (UBS)-unconditional public provision of essential life services (such as healthcare, education, transport, housing, and digital access). UBS serves two vital purposes: ensuring social justice by securing a reliable foundation for all citizens, and ecological balance by decoupling needs from carbon-intensive markets. Coote emphasizes that UBS represents a collective re-rooting of the social contract, with state institutions and communities working together to meet human needs within planetary boundaries, combining universal provision with participatory governance.
Coote also places UBS at the heart of a broader vision for rejuvenated social democracy. She argues it can restore public trust in government, rebuild civic solidarity, and address systemic inequalities. The UBS framework promotes democratic oversight-mixed providers (public, non-profit, cooperative) held to public service standards; local accountability-services shaped by community input; and environmental sustainability-designing services to reduce consumption and emissions. By blending economic efficiency, social equity, and democratic values, UBS offers a concrete roadmap for progressive policymaking in the 21st century.