by Kate McFarland | Jul 16, 2016 | News
Two basic income researchers — Borja Barragué (Universidad Autónoma de Madrid) and BIEN Co-Chair Karl Widerquist (Georgetown University – Qatar) — will discuss ethical arguments both for and against basic income at the Casa de Mateus in Vila Real, Portugal on Saturday, July 16.
This discussion is part of a series of events, coordinated by Roberto Merrill (University of Minho), on various contemporary topics in applied ethics. Future themes include animal ethics, war, and whistleblowing, among others.
Merrill will be moderating Barragué and Widerquist’s conversation. The event will conducted be in English, with translation support in Portuguese.
Furthermore, according to the event description, participants will be treated to a taste of a 2015 Rosé from the Lavradores de Feitoria winery.
For more information, see the event’s webpage and Facebook event page.
Image: Casa de Mateus CC Joaomartinho63
by Andre Coelho | May 10, 2016 | News
Jorge Silva, from PAN, at the event
On the 16th of April 2016, ISCTE – Instituto Universitário de Lisboa hosted an event called “de’Bater de Frente – RBI e Sociedade Civil” (Discussing face-to-face – Basic Income and Civil Society), which joined together activists from RBI Portugal (a BIEN Associate) and several civil society associations, as well as representatives from two Portuguese political parties.
In the event, which lasted for four hours, presentations were made by João Paulo Batalha from TIAC (Transparência e Integridade Associação Cívica (Civil Association for Transparency and Integrity)), Miguel Dias from the LIVRE political party, José Anacleto from OPE (Movimento Outro Portugal Existe (Another Portugal Exists Movement)), Luís Miguel Dantas from PROUTugal and João Miguel from Reagir Social. Also, the Pirate Party (although not formalized in Portugal) and PAN political party were represented by Nuno Cardoso and Jorge Silva, respectively.
Each speaker from each association presented their views on basic income and their particular way of looking at social reality, issues that got plenty of debate time. Although particular views may have differed, it seemed clear that basic income, as a general concept, was welcomed by most present. Closing the session, basic income activists Dario Figueira and António Dores situated the previous presentations within a larger framework, allowing each of these associations to include the promotion of basic income within their own activities, while also organizing events with each other, widely spreading the debate and information about basic income into a true grassroots movement .
More information at:
In Portuguese:
Youtube, “(de)Bater de Frente RBI”, Rendimento Básico
by Andre Coelho | Apr 27, 2016 | News
Júlia Pinheiro and guests António Fernandes, António Dores and Florbela Oliveira. Credit to: SIC.
In this 30 minutes talk show, Júlia Pinheiro, a well-known TV host in Portugal, interviews António Fernandes, Basic Income activist at RBI Portugal, and António Dores, sociologist. Economist Florbela Oliveira takes on the skeptic’s role in the conversation, which entirely surrounds basic income, including its definition and implications. After António Fernandes presents basic income as a concept, Florbela questions its financial applicability (who pays for it), and António Dores clarifies that, according to a viability study already developed for the Portuguese situation, it is the beneficiaries themselves who pay for it, through a simple solidarity wealth redistribution scheme.
More information at:
Queridas Manhãs (show by Júlia Pineiro), “Rendimento Básico Incondicional”, SIC, 3rd March 2016
by Andre Coelho | Apr 15, 2016 | News
As expected, European Central Bank (ECB) president Mario Draghi’s visit to Lisbon on Thursday 7th April was welcomed with protests. First at Palácio de Belém (the official presidential premises), and later that day at Largo de São Domingos.
A few dozen protesters were present, answering a call from the political party Bloco de Esquerda, as well as activists from Basic Income Portugal, who held a banner with “QE for the People” written on it.
“QE” stands for Quantitative Easing, which designates the ECB’s stimulus programme by which it injects 60 billion euros per month into financial markets. As a reaction to this programme, more and more are defending the alternative idea of “QE for the People” which is being promoted by a coalition of organisations across Europe. The idea basically consists in redirecting the ongoing money creation of the ECB towards the real economy, for instance as a citizens’ dividend.
Protests have been spurred around the ECB’s QE policy because it has exclusively benefited the financial system (mainly banks), and not those more in need of it, the general population. Draghi has shown an interest in the policy of “QE for the People”, as if money was being (metaphorically) thrown out of a helicopter. However, no such policy has yet come to be, and it would, in effect, mark a reversal of all past ECB monetary policy.
Draghi was invited to Lisbon by the recently elected President of Portugal, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.
More information at:
In Portuguese: Sputnik, “Lisboa protesta contra Europa [Lisbon protests against Europe]”, Sputnik Sociedade, April 7th, 2016
Rendimento Básico Portugal Facebook page.
by Andre Coelho | Mar 27, 2016 | News
Credit to: Jornal O Tornado.
Paulo Vieira de Castro, after establishing a short but stinging critique to today’s society ruled by financial interests, presents Basic Income as a solution, which can propel society into an era of economic empathy. He concludes by saying that Basic Income shall be implemented because it’s a good idea, as in logical and warmhearted, and that it will serve as a transitional step for a free economy.
More information at:
Language: Portuguese
Paulo Vieira de Castro, “A Era da empatia económica: o Rendimento Básico Incondicional [The Time of economic empathy: Basic Income]“, Jornal Tornado online, 29th February 2016
