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World’s Largest Democracy Plans to Give Its Citizens Free Money

World’s Largest Democracy Plans to Give Its Citizens Free Money

India, the largest democratic nation in the world, is poised to become the latest endorser of the Universal Basic Income (UBI) solution. The move is intended to provide a safety net for all citizens, as well as remove the inefficient benefit systems that are currently being implemented. This information comes from Professor Guy Standing, a UBI advocate and one of the founding members of the Basic Income Earth Network (BIEN) who recently got back from the U.S. after taking part as a consultant on a $20 million UBI trial scheduled to take place in California within the year.

Aside from […]

America Is Still Making Things

America Is Still Making Things

A manufacturing worker at an Eli Lilly facility in Indiana COLUMBIA CITY, Ind.—Big companies such as Rexnord and Carrier are closing down plants in this Rust Belt state and moving their factories to Mexico. But in some corners, including this rural patch of the state’s northeast, manufacturing is growing.

In a nondescript building set among the icy cornfields of Columbia City, Brian Emerick, the CEO and owner of Micropulse, employs 306 people who make millions of dollars worth of specialized medical equipment such as orthopedic implants and the surgical tools used to install them. That’s up from the 190 he […]

GARY MACDOUGALL: Society’s right to work

GARY MACDOUGALL: Society’s right to work

A typical auto manufacturing production floor will have thousands of industrial robots lined up doing multiple tasks. ©(Submitted photo)

Many years ago as a young reporter I felt underpaid and overworked. I had a crisis of faith in terms of my chosen field of employment.

Looking back, I was likely being paid about what I should have earned, given my education and experience.Unlike myself, many young people in the 1960s had chosen the booming economy of southern Ontario to find employment. The cars they drove when they returned home for summer vacations made me chafe at my lot in […]

Universal Basic Income: gaining traction

Lately (particularly on NPR) I’ve been hearing more and more serious talk about the idea of a "Universal Basic Income," whereby everyone is simply given a monthly "salary" to live on, the figures ranging from US$10,000 per year to US$24,000 per year—enough to pay food & shelter basics. It would ideally replace many or most of the existing band-aid social services and assistance programs that carry expensive bureaucracies and cumbersome needs-testing.

Under the U.S. capitalist regime at least, a universal basic income would itself be one big band-aid, essentially compensation, "hush money" for tolerating the continuing mass rake-off of the […]

America Is Still Making Things

America Is Still Making Things

A manufacturing worker at an Eli Lilly facility in Indiana COLUMBIA CITY, Ind.—Big companies such as Rexnord and Carrier are closing down plants in this Rust Belt state and moving their factories to Mexico. But in some corners, including this rural patch of the state’s northeast, manufacturing is growing.

In a nondescript building set among the icy cornfields of Columbia City, Brian Emerick, the CEO and owner of Micropulse, employs 306 people who make millions of dollars worth of specialized medical equipment such as orthopedic implants and the surgical tools used to install them. That’s up from the 190 he […]

Scotland set to pilot universal basic income scheme in Fife and Glasgow

Scotland set to pilot universal basic income scheme in Fife and Glasgow

The SNP passed a motion in support of universal basic income at their conference last year Getty Images A councillor has backed the introduction of a universal basic income in Scotland because he says it is the best way to tackle poverty.

A radical scheme to give every citizen a universal basic income (UBI), regardless of whether or not they work, is set to be piloted by two Scottish councils this year.

Labour-run Glasgow and Fife councils are designing trial schemes following meetings held late last year.It has not yet been announced what level the basic income will be set at, […]

Finland new social experiment : Universal basic Income

Started on January 1st Finland will be giving 2000 of their unemployed a free income of 560 Euros per month. This program will last for 2 years as an experiment to measure the effects universal income will have on employment and to review their social security system.

Articles:

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/finland-has-new-social-experiment-giving-people-free-money-180961684/ http://basicincome.org/news/2016/10/finland-kelas-report-basic-income-experiments-released-english/ https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/jan/03/finland-trials-basic-income-for-unemployed Some countries like Brazil and Uganda have also started similar experiments or programs to help poverty and see the effects.Articles: http://basicincome.org/news/2016/12/brazil-basic-income-startup-gives-lifetime-basic-incomes-villagers/ http://basicincome.org/news/2016/11/uganda-two-year-basic-income-pilot-set-to-launch-in-2017/ What is universal basic income (UBI) ? My simple understanding is that it is a periodic payment of cash or equivalent to an […]

Global Universal System – Part 2 Introduction- My view on unconditional Universal Basic Income (UBI) by felixlim

A “basic income” is a general income unconditionally granted to all, without any means test or requirement to work. It is an individual entitlement with no strings attached.

In GUS there will be means test and requirement to work as broadly defined if required subject to different environment. The time to waste on productivity or feeding the lazy arguments can be countered with a meritocracy policies to convince the mass public. There is no country in the world that is 100% without laws, regulations or policies. Any sane man want to argue that its an infringement of 100% freedom and […]

Global Universal System – Part 2 Introduction- My view on unconditional Universal Basic Income (UBI)

Global Universal System - Part 2 Introduction- My view on unconditional Universal Basic Income (UBI)

A “basic income” is a general income unconditionally granted to all, without any means test or requirement to work. It is an individual entitlement with no strings attached.

In GUS there will be means test and requirement to work as broadly defined if required subject to different environment. The time to waste on productivity or feeding the lazy arguments can be countered with a meritocracy policies to convince the mass public. There is no country in the world that is 100% without laws, regulations or policies. Any sane man want to argue that its an infringement of 100% freedom and […]

When it Comes to ‘Saving Globalization’ World Leaders are Still Missing the Point

When it Comes to ‘Saving Globalization’ World Leaders are Still Missing the Point

“Philosophers have only interpreted the world, in various ways. The point, however, is to change it,” or so Karl Marx once wrote. As trade liberalization and globalization more broadly are called into question, G20 leaders could do with both interpreting the situation and changing it.

It is not an easy task for the G20, which is a diverse group of developed and emerging economies, accounting for around 80% of GDP. In spite of their great success in launching a trade and investment working group and agreeing on guiding principles of investment policy-making, G20 leaders failed to address the emergence of […]