Francisco Louçã. Credit
to: DN Portugal
On the 7th of February, Francisco Louçã, a long time left-wing public figure in Portuguese politics, wrote an article named “How to pull the PS policial party to something civic [De como puxar o PS para qualquer coisa de cívico]“. This extensive article deals with many political aspects and analysis, but at a certain point cuts a clear criticism on the fact that the political party LIVRE has inserted (a reference to) Basic Income on its draft political program for the upcoming elections. The arguments being that LIVRE has not detailed a way to finance Basic Income, and that this unconditional income should not be given to rich people, since they clearly do not need it.
This first article was extensively commented on the website where it was published, the Público newspaper blog “Tudo Menos Economia [Everything But Economy]”, where Francisco Louçã regularly writes. Comments came from Basic Income supporters (like Roberto Merrill, António Dores and Dario Ferreira from the Basic Income activist group in Portugal) and many others, arguing on moral terms and supplying some numbers which might cover Basic Income expenses for the Portuguese social reality, rejecting the idea that it might not be fundable.
Rendimento Básico Portugal group logo
The original critic by Francisco Louçã and this first round of discussions around Basic Income encouraged André Barata, a LIVRE militant to compose an answer to Louçã’s arguments. As a long time Basic Income defender and political activist, he framed Basic Income as a human right, alongside Education and Health, and so justified it as a guarantee for all citizens, independently of their present income. As for the necessary funding calculations, he argued that first a new idea has to stand on its own, then its defenders must think of ways to inspire public policy and then, finally, financing calculations must be performed.
André Barata. Credit to: iOnline
Inspired by the flood of comments on his first article and André Barata’s response, Francisco Louçã published a second article titled Basic Income: how, how much and for whom [“Rendimento Básico Incondicional”: como, quanto e para quem], where he laments having been judged by Basic Income defenders but reinforces his opinion that financial practicability must be performed now, so that the Basic Income can gain, from his point of view, concrete credibility for action and not degenerate into an utopian illusion. He also reinforces his standpoint that it is fundamentally inacceptable to give a Basic Income to the wealthy, as well as to the poor, since he argues these are not the same and thus should not be treated equally. As for the financing effort itself, he further argues that the Basic Income bill would still be enormous, something around an extra 50 000 million €/year, which means an increase of 2.4 times the present taxation burden on work, although he concedes that other sources of income maybe at the State’s disposal (e.g.: taxation on fortunes, resource and pollution taxes, further curbing tax evasion). He concludes that it would be better to maintain the current system, albeit getting better at collecting taxes.
This second article generated a new flood of comments. The Basic Income public discussions in Portugal have finally started.
More information at:
André Coelho, “Portugal: Social movements and political party together for basic income“, BI News, February 2 2015
Language: Portuguese
Francisco Louçã, “How to pull the PS policial party to something civic [De como puxar o PS para qualquer coisa de cívico]“, Tudo Menos Economia (blog), February 6 2015
Language: Portuguese
André Barata, “An income for everyone – answer to Francisco Louçã’s arguments [Um rendimento para todos – resposta aos argumentos de Francisco Louçã]“, O Irrevogável (blog), March 5 2015
Language: Portuguese
Francisco Louçã, “Basic Income: how, how much and for whom [“Rendimento Básico Incondicional”: como, quanto e para quem]“, Tudo Menos Economia (blog), March 2 2015