This contribution concerns the question of "citizenship income", introduced in Italy only a few months ago. However, the author inserts his comment in a wider discourse. In the essay, the labour law crisis is linked to the rise and fall of the doctrine of economic liberalism, trying to identify their points of contact. The fall of liberalism and the birth of new paradigms, such as protectionism and sovereignism, represent therefore the origin of possible changes also in the function of labour law. Citizenship income can be considered as the start of a new phase. However, the author considers these tendencies very ambiguous and not without shadows.