Which country was the first in the world to pay a basic income to randomly selected citizens at the national level?

Introduction / Context:
Universal basic income is an idea in which citizens receive a regular income from the state with no conditions attached. Several countries have experimented with pilot projects. This question asks about the first country to conduct a national level experiment by paying a basic income to randomly selected citizens.

Given Data / Assumptions:

- The question refers to the first country to pay a basic income to randomly chosen citizens on a national level experiment. - Four developed countries are given as options. - We must recall which one started a widely reported national basic income trial around twenty seventeen.

Concept / Approach:
Finland became the first country to run a nationwide basic income experiment in which a randomly selected group of unemployed citizens received a fixed monthly payment without conditions. The idea was to test how such income support would affect employment and well being. While discussions about basic income have taken place in Canada, United States and Germany, their experiments were either local, theoretical or did not match the same national randomised design.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall media coverage about a European country conducting a basic income experiment around twenty seventeen. Step 2: Identify that Finland selected around two thousand unemployed citizens for a trial basic income payment. Step 3: Note that this programme was run at the national level as an official government experiment, which made it a world first of its kind. Step 4: Consider that Canada and some cities in the United States have discussed or run local level pilots, but not in the strict national randomised way described in the question. Step 5: Germany has featured citizen led basic income lotteries and debates, but again not a comparable national scheme at that time.

Verification / Alternative check:
Reports from international news agencies and economic policy commentators at the time highlighted Finland as the first country to implement such a nationwide experiment. They describe how a randomly selected group received payments over a set period while researchers studied outcomes. This consistent reporting confirms that Finland is the correct answer for this particular formulation.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Canada has explored guaranteed income ideas, but widely known experiments like the one in Manitoba were local rather than nationwide and were conducted decades ago under different designs. United States has seen local pilots and historical experiments, but not a recent national level randomised basic income programme matching the description. Germany has strong debate on basic income and some small projects, but the question clearly refers to the Finnish national experiment.

Common Pitfalls:
Because basic income is often debated in North American and European policy circles, candidates may guess Canada or United States. Another pitfall is not paying attention to the phrase randomly picked citizens on a national level. Connecting that specific description with Finland helps recall the correct country.

Final Answer:
The first country to pay a basic income to randomly selected citizens on a national level experiment was Finland.