Category: Basic Income

UBI – That Radical Right-Wing Idea?

UBI – That Radical Right-Wing Idea?

Last week’s post — on a poverty eradication experiment in Africa of giving no-strings-attached cash — was a bit of a Trojan horse for this week: UBI is the idea of granting all adults a small amount of income, for life.

UBI is having a moment right now. Finland launched an experiment in 2017 to address joblessness with basic income, and the Netherlands is also attempting small-scale trials . Swiss voters rejected it in a referendum in 2016, but Swiss UBI supporters rejoice that it at least came up for a vote. A Silicon Valley startup Y-Combinator plans to launch […]

Budget focus on rural eco, small biz

Budget focus on rural eco, small biz

New Delhi: Even as a prominent section within the government is opposed to universal basic income — an unconditional cash transfer to the poor— the view on the focus areas in budget is virtually unanimous: boost the rural economy and support the housing sector and small businesses.

Apart from being the areas worst-hit by demonetisation drive, these are also seen as sectors from which the government hopes to earn the maximum reward, especially in five states, (including Punjab and Uttar Pradesh) which are slated to vote after the Budget.

In addition, creating rural infrastructure has been a key theme and the […]

Is a guaranteed income the answer an uncertain future?

Is a guaranteed income the answer an uncertain future? Finland’s Social Insurance Institution, KELA, explains in a video on its website that the current social security model was developed to suit the needs of a different era.

No job, no problem – at least, not if you’re one of 2,000 randomly-picked unemployed Finns. Over the next two years, the Finnish government will hand them the equivalent of 4,000 kroner per month with no strings attached. If they find a job, the money is still theirs.

The project is managed by Kela, Finland’s Social Insurance Institution, in order to discover whether a […]

Basic income is worth a try

Waterloo Region Record

Poverty makes us all pay. Evidence shows that the stress of being poor leads to unsatisfactory health, more domestic violence, more time in jail and higher use of social agencies such as homeless shelters.

We all, therefore, have a compelling interest in reducing poverty, whatever our politics. Left-wing thinkers hope that less financial pressure would lead to a more dignified life. Those whose political views lean right might welcome the savings to government-funded health and social services.Its potentially universal appeal is what is so encouraging about the pledge from the Ontario Liberal government to start three-year pilot programs […]

AUDIO: BBC World Service episode “Universal Basic Income: Has its Time Come?”

AUDIO: BBC World Service episode “Universal Basic Income: Has its Time Come?”

On November 19, 2016, the BBC podcast In the Balance aired an episode called “Universal Basic Income: Has its Time Come?”

Special guests included Michael Faye (cofounder of GiveDirectly , the non-profit launching a basic income experiment in Kenya ), Louise Haagh (Reader of Politics at the University of York and Co-Chair of BIEN), Michael Tanner (Senior Fellow of the CATO Institute), and Ian Gough (Visiting Professor at the London School of Economics).

During the approximately 25 minute episode, host Ed Butler questioned the guests on the many common concerns surrounding basic income, from its affordability to its political feasibility […]

English Subtitles for “We don’t have freedom without basic income” – Karl Widerquist

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resources they need to survive and that’s what happens when we have private capital without paying a compensating basic income is you take people and you give them take put them in a world where all of the<font color="#E5E5E5"> natural resources</font><font color="#CCCCCC"> and</font><font color="#E5E5E5"> may</font>

have […]

A New Debate – Universal Basic Income

A New Debate - Universal Basic Income

The argument in favour of a Universal Basic Income comes from a realisation that unemployment is on the rise and therefore getting jobs will not be easy. Despite all good intention, the government has not been able to encourage industry to create jobs. There are nearly one crore new youth who enter the job market every year. Against this figure, the total new jobs created last year was less than one and a half lakhs. The scenario doesn’t look promising in the near future too. Even as the demonetisation exercise is underway, we have a discussion starting on giving […]

Wanted: Divided French left seeks presidential candidate

Wanted: Divided French left seeks presidential candidate

© Joel Saget, AFP | Seven candidates are taking part in a presidential primary organised by the Socialist Party and its allies. French leftists will hold a first-round primary on Sunday to narrow the field of possible presidential candidates. Whoever emerges the winner, however, is likely to face a resounding defeat by France’s conservatives in April-May elections.

With the ruling Socialists plummeting in popularity , the French left is bitterly divided. President François Hollande’s approval rating sank to a low of 4 percent late last year, largely on his failure to boost the economy and lower an unemployment rate […]

Will universal basic income render conversations about socialism and capitalism obsolete?

Will universal basic income render conversations about socialism and capitalism obsolete?

Upend society" is hyperbole on my part. yes ofc:-)

Do you just hand out cash? Because that’s the specific scenario I’m talking about. Everything just gets ridiculously expensive.

pretty much.there are different layers of it to help catch you if you fall, or help you move forwardif your working you have the option to pay into an A-kasse a form of (cheap)government subsidised paycheck insurance, will payout 80% of you former salary for 2 years – you have to be actively looking for reemployment or take a new education. this also kicks in if you get sick/injured until you’re […]

Meet the Person Whose Life Is Being Changed by Universal Basic Income

Meet the Person Whose Life Is Being Changed by Universal Basic Income

The Reputation of UBI

Lets face it. Getting money each month just for being alive sounds pretty great. But with that perk comes a whole bunch of backlash.

Universal Basic Income (UBI) is a concept where all citizens of a country are given a monetary stipend each month in order to survive. The practice is being explored in part as a potential solution to job automation in the future.But is UBI really such a good idea ? Some believe that it’ll act as a giant safety net provided by the government for those facing poverty or unemployment. Others believe that […]