Karl Widerquist will present his new article “the Debate Over the Definition of Basic Income,” via zoom in an online open forum of BIEN’s Working Group on the Clarification of the Definition of Basic Income on March 13 in some time zones and March 14 in others: Central Time (US): 13 March, 8-9:30pm Eastern Time (US): 13 March, 9-10:30pm GMT (UK): 14 March, 01:00-2:30am Tokyo Time (Japan): 14 March, 10-11:30am.
A video recording of the debate is now available: “The Debate Over the definition of Basic Income,” presented by Karl Widerquist, hosted by Toru Yamamori for BIEN’s Working Group on the Clarification of the Definition of Basic Income. Annie Miller, Michael Howard, Pierre Madden, and others participate in the discussion. Recorded 8pm 13 March 2024 (Central time – USA). To view the debate, click below.
The Basic Income Earth Network (BIEN), at its general assembly in 2019, created the working group for “Clarification of Basic Income Definition”. Since then we have had online open forum including at the online venue of the BIEN congress in 2021 Glasgow and in 2022 Brisbane.
The group hereby makes an open call for contributions to the collective discussion. It expects to have one or two online sessions per month from February to June, 2024. Each online session will run around 90 – 120 minutes, starting with speaker’s presentation(s) with discussions to follow. Each session would host 1 or 2 speakers.
If you are interested in to speak, please show your interest by email both to anniemillerBI@gmail.com and toruyamamori@gmail.com, by 23 February. The group might be able to accommodate later submission, but would appreciate earlier submission.
After the working group and speakers agree the date, speakers are expected to send the group a draft paper for their presentation at least a few weeks before the session.
In July, the working group will prepare making a report on the “Clarification of Basic Income Definition”. Papers presented at open forum may be included in the report.
BIEN working group for Clarification for BI Definition (BIEN CBID) Online Open Forum
Date: 17 July, 9am -10.30am GMT
Speaker: Télémaque Masson-Récipon
Title: “How distinguishing between a ´narrow understanding´ and a ´broad understanding’ of the basic income concept can help contribute to the realisation of both”
Abstract: What is a Basic Income ? What debates surround the way it should be defined ? Why and how do any of these debates matter at all in practice ? This presentation will try to answer these questions and defend a proposal aiming at allowing ubi activism to benefit more directly from these debates. It consist in distinguishing between on the one hand a narrow understanding of UBI as a way to distribute ressources (namely as an equal payment in cash to everyone within a target group on a regular basis without any activity condition) ; and on the other hand a broader understanding of UBI as the aspiration to the universal and unconditional guarantee of the material means of individual autonomy. The adoption of this analytical framework, it will be argued, is likely to greatly improve the focus and efficiency of ubi activism as well as to reopen very fertile fields of UBI research that have been almost entirely neglected over the last two decades.
Malcolm Torry will present his paper titled “Basic Income: A brief history of the idea”. Discussion will follow.
Abstract:
A Basic Income is ‘a periodic cash payment unconditionally delivered to all on an individual basis, without means-test or work requirement’ (Basic Income Earth Network [BIEN]). It is always that: but within that definition there has been a significant number of variants during the past two centuries—in relation to how often, how much, to whom, and so on. This paper will explore those variants and the reasons for them, both historically and in the context of today’s lively global debate.
The paper will also discuss those tax and benefits policies that are sometimes regarded as variants of Basic Income but in fact are not, and will briefly outline their histories, their relevance to the history of ideas of Basic Income, and their relationship to the current debate.
The forum will be held via zoom. All are welcome. For the link to zoom, please send email to: cbidbien@gmail.com.
The “Clarification of the Basic Income’s Definition” (CBID) working group is an official working group of BIEN established by the BIEN General Assembly 2019 held in Hyderabad, India. The 1st , 2nd , and 3rd open forums were held during BIEN Congress 2021 in Glasgow, the 4rd open forum was held in October 2021, and the 5th was held in April 2022.
Topic: ‘Uniformity’ as a Characteristic of Basic Income: 1pm GMT (2pm London), 26th Tuesday April 2022
As it stands, BIEN’s definition of BI permits discrimination on the basis of gender, race and creed. The addition of a new characteristic ‘uniform’ could lead to large household economies of scale. ‘Uniform (except by age)’ could legitimize the exclusion of some age groups from a BI program. Annie Miller, co-founder of BIEN and co-chair of CBID, will give a short presentation, and open discussion will follow.
The forum will be held via zoom. All are welcome. For the link to zoom, please send email to: cbidbien@gmail.com
The “Clarification of the Basic Income’s Definition” (CBID) working group is an official working group of BIEN established by the BIEN General Assembly 2019 held in Hyderabad, India. The 1st and 2nd open forums were held during BIEN Congress 2021 in Glasgow and the 3rd open forum was held in October 2021