Tag: basic income

Guaranteed Income for Every Citizen – Best Way To Revitalize Humanity by luzcypher

In June 2016, Switzerland voted in a referendum on the topic of introducing a basic income. If it had passed, all Swiss citizens, working or unemployed, would have received about $2,500 Swiss francs for adults and 625 francs for children per month as a guaranteed stipend from the government.

Switzerland would have become the first country in the world to implement such an idea. Although the Swiss Federal Council rejected the initiative in August 2014, the rejection was more of a symbolic suggestion to vote against the basic income than a consequential political action: the Swiss people had already asserted […]

Basic income is a bad idea that refuses to die

The zombie policy of the universal basic income is the first to rise from the grave of well-intentioned impractical ideas in 2017. Labour-controlled Glasgow city council is the latest to announce that it intends to investigate a pilot scheme.

There is a reason why the basic income is the eternal news story. Someone, somewhere, is always saying what a marvellous idea it is. Some local government, or much less often a national government, is saying that it is going to look at it, or going to bring in a pilot scheme or even, every now and again, actually bring in […]

Finland gives 2,000 citizens guaranteed income

Finland gives 2,000 citizens guaranteed income

Finland is giving 2,000 citizens a guaranteed income – Jan. 2, 2017

The program, which kicks off this month, is one of the first efforts to test a “universal basic income.” Participants will receive €560 ($587) a month — money that is guaranteed regardless of income, wealth or employment status.

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Finland is giving 2,000 citizens a guaranteed income

Finland is giving 2,000 citizens a guaranteed income

Carl Icahn: ‘The minimum wage should go up’ Finland has started a radical experiment: It’s giving 2,000 citizens a guaranteed income, with funds that keep flowing whether participants work or not.

The program, which kicks off this month, is one of the first efforts to test a "universal basic income." Participants will receive €560 ($587) a month — money that is guaranteed regardless of income, wealth or employment status.

The idea is that a universal income offers workers greater security, especially as technological advances reduce the need for human labor. It will also allow unemployed people to pick up odd […]

Scottish Councils Are Considering Implementing Universal Basic Income

Scottish Councils Are Considering Implementing Universal Basic Income

Glasgow, pictured above, is among two Scottish councils interested in testing an idea based on Thomas More’s “Utopia.” Michel Curi / CC BY 2.0

Now that Scotland will have more power over its finances, the councils of Glasgow and Fife are eager to try out an economic plan already running successfully in parts of Finland, Netherlands, Africa, India and Canada: universal basic income.

Proponents of the concept, which would allow the state to allot a set amount of money to all inhabitants of a given place regardless of income, understand that it will require a significant shift in social thinking. […]

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 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.

One expert said the decisions represented “a very significant step forward for basic income in Scotland”.It has not yet been announced what level the basic income will be set at, but the councils are to proceed with the pilots, subject […]

Finland is giving 2,000 citizens a guaranteed income

Finland has started a radical experiment: It’s giving 2,000 citizens a guaranteed income, with funds that keep flowing whether participants work or not.

The program, which kicks off this month, is one of the first efforts to test a “universal basic income.” Participants will receive €560 ($587) a month — money that is guaranteed regardless of income, wealth or employment status.

The idea is that a universal income offers workers greater security, especially as technological advances reduce the need for human labor. It will also allow unemployed people to pick up odd jobs without losing their benefits.The initial program will run […]

VIDEO: Rudy Karsan on Meaningful Work and Entitlement to a Universal Basic Income

VIDEO: Rudy Karsan on Meaningful Work and Entitlement to a Universal Basic Income

Rudy Karsan, co-founder and former CEO of the former human resource software company Kenexa (sold to IBM in 2012) recently held a TEDx talk in Calgary where he advocated a universal basic income as a means of stimulating innovation.

“We are in the golden age of our species,” Karsan begins his talk. He argues that we already have multiple solutions for the lack of food, water, and energy, and even for global warming; thus, our number one risk is none of these. Instead, he argues, “Meaningful work is about our choice of who we are,” and the lack of it […]

Finland started the experiment on payment of a basic income

Finland was included in 2017 as the first country in the world where some citizens get a basic income is an unconditional payment from the state, which do not depend on their income or social status. The first participants in the experiment were selected by lot 2000 unemployed.

Those who will receive a basic income within two years will not receive unemployment benefits. 560 euros is the average size of the unemployment benefit after tax. Such sum will transfer the pension Agency Kela the participants of the experiment. By the standards of Finland with an average salary of more than […]

Universal basic income trials being considered in Scotland

Scotland looks set to be the first part of the UK to pilot a basic income for every citizen, as councils in Fife and Glasgow investigate trial schemes in 2017.

The councillor Matt Kerr has been championing the idea through the ornate halls of Glasgow City Chambers, and is frank about the challenges it poses.

“Like a lot of people, I was interested in the idea but never completely convinced,” he said. But working as Labour’s anti-poverty lead on the council, Kerr says that he “kept coming back to the basic income”.Kerr sees the basic income as a way of simplifying […]