The book comprises 25 contributions to the basic income debate, representing different scientific perspectives and an artist’s essay. All the essays are devoted to the idea of improving social and personal welfare.
The authors are convinced that the implementation of a basic income could in both quantitative and qualitative terms contribute immensely to solve major social problems of our time such as unemployment, poverty, violation of human dignity, and the unequal distribution of income. Today’s labour markets draw a distorted picture of the exchange of supply and demand for work. The book presents means and options of turning today’s labour markets into well-functioning markets within a regulatory framework based on a social market economy. According to the editors the economic impact and degree of socio-political innovation of the basic income equals Bismarck’s reforms of social legalisation by the end of the 19th century. Therefore, the cover picture draws the comparison between the Copernican Turn in the 15th century and socio-political turn in the 21st.
Full references: Werner, Götz W., Eichhorn, Wolfgang & Friedrich, Lothar (eds.) (2012), Das Grundeinkommen : Würdigung – Wertungen – Wege, Karlsruhe: KIT Scientific Publishing.
Website: https://www.ksp.kit.edu/
