Category: Basic Income

Europe Moves One Step Closer To Making Universal Income A Reality

Europe Moves One Step Closer To Making Universal Income A Reality

The rise of robots is unstoppable. And as they take over an ever-increasing number of manual jobs, the threat of mass unemployment is looming closer than ever. In light of this ongoing ‘technological revolution’ and its possible implications on everything we know, a report initiated by Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Mady Delvaux-Stehres of the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats has recently earned the approval of the Legal Affairs Committee of Parliament with an overwhelming result of 17 votes in favor and 2 votes against.

Providing an overview of the increasing impact of robots and […]

Martin Luther King’s Economic Dream: A Guaranteed Income for All Americans

One of the more under-appreciated aspects of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s legacy is that by the end of his career, he had fashioned himself into a crusader against poverty, not just among blacks, but all Americans. In the weeks leading to his assassination, the civil rights leader had been hard at work organizing a new march on Washington known as the “Poor People’s Campaign.” The goal was to erect a tent city on the National Mall, that, as Mark Engler described it for The Nation in 2010, would “dramatize the reality of joblessness and deprivation by bringing those […]

As robots take jobs, Europeans mull free money for all

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PARIS (AP) — I am, therefore I’m paid.The radical notion that governments should hand out free money to everyone — rich and poor, those who work and those who don’t — is slowly but surely gaining ground in Europe. Yes, you read that right: a guaranteed monthly living allowance, no strings attached.In France, two of the seven candidates vying to represent the ruling Socialist Party in this year’s presidential election are promising modest but regular stipends to all French adults. A limited test is already underway in Finland, with other experiments planned elsewhere, including in the […]

Martin Luther King Jr. was decades ahead of his time in advocating for a universal basic income

Martin Luther King Jr. was decades ahead of his time in advocating for a universal basic income

The idea King promoted is back in conversation today, but now it’s because of robots. Humans aren’t as necessary as they once were for carrying out basic tasks, manual and otherwise . Robots are doing more and more of those jobs, threatening to displace large numbers of workers and prompting experts from economists to Elon Musk to ask whether now is the time to implement a universal basic income, a social safety net that would provide unconditional cash payments to everyone.

While the specifics of the debate have changed—automation is now the force driving it —the debate itself isn’t a […]

European Parliament’s legal affairs committee wants to look into basic income in light of robots threat

European Parliament's legal affairs committee wants to look into basic income in light of robots threat

The European Parliament will vote on a report calling on the European Commission and all EU member states to “seriously consider” basic income in order to address the economic consequences of automation and artificial intelligence.

On Thursday 12 January, European Parliament’s committee on Legal affairs (JURI) adopted a report on “ Civil law rules on robotics ” which considers the legal and economic consequences of the rise of robots and artificial intelligence devices.

According to the report, since “robots, bots, androids and other manifestations of artificial intelligence (“AI”) seem poised to unleash a new industrial revolution, which is likely to […]

As robots take jobs, Europeans mull free money for all

PARIS — I am, therefore I’m paid.

The radical notion that governments should hand out free money to everyone — rich and poor, those who work and those who don’t — is slowly but surely gaining ground in Europe. Yes, you read that right: a guaranteed monthly living allowance, no strings attached.

In France, two of the seven candidates vying to represent the ruling Socialist Party in this year’s presidential election are promising modest but regular stipends to all French adults. A limited test is already underway in Finland, with other experiments planned elsewhere, including in the United States.Called "universal income" […]

Here’s one cause Martin Luther King fought for which you might not know about

Here’s one cause Martin Luther King fought for which you might not know about

Say the name "Martin Luther King, Jr" (MLK) and most people will instantly think "American civil rights hero".

With good reason – King’s most well-known legacy comes from his role as leader in the civil rights movement, preacher of nonviolent resistance, and Nobel Peace prizewinner. But most people don’t know that for MLK, black Americans’ struggle for civil rights was inseparable from the fight against economic inequality in the US. And his answer to that inequality was a policy which activists are still calling for today: universal basic income. King the reformer

“Call it democracy, or call it democratic socialism," […]

Public attention directed at the individuals participating in the basic income experiment may undermine the reliability of results

The Finnish basic income experiment and the persons selected to participate in it have attracted considerable public interest. While such interest is understandable, the participants should not be approached any more than they would otherwise be in order not to distort the results of the experiment. From a research standpoint, it is clear that any other media attention also carries the risk of undermining the reliability of the results.

The Finnish basic income experiment has caught the attention of private citizens, media organisations, decision-makers and researchers, both in Finland and internationally. The media are interested in writing stories […]

CANADA: Council of small town Smiths Falls rejects basic income trial, residents disagree

CANADA: Council of small town Smiths Falls rejects basic income trial, residents disagree

Councilors of the small Ontario town of Smiths Falls voted on December 19 last year to reject participation in its province’s basic income pilot , to the objection of residents and the town’s mayor. A petition requesting a re-vote is currently circulating online. The story begins, however, in 2008.

That year The Hershey Company shuttered its Canada operations, at the time based in Smiths Falls, largely for cheaper Mexico-based labor. This exit of the area’s biggest customer precipitated the same by other businesses, and although the ensuing purge of jobs merely reflected a manufacturing decline already underway in the province, […]

Taxpayers want basic income tax slab to be raised to Rs 5 lakh: Survey

Taxpayers want basic income tax slab to be raised to Rs 5 lakh: Survey

A majority of tax payers want the income tax slab to be increased. Photo: Pixabay A majority of general tax payers in India want the basic exemption slab limit to be raised from Rs 2.5 lakh currently to Rs 5 lakh. According to a Deloitte survey, 58% of general tax payers said they wanted the slab limit to be raised from Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 5 lakh. The report said that this will help widen the tax base and increase compliance. It will place more money in the hands of consumers resulting in increase in demand pick up. […]