Several articles on the Swiss Basic Income Referendum

by | Oct 12, 2013 | Research

The initiative aims to have a minimum monthly disposal household income of CHF 2,500 (US$ 2,700) given by the government to every citizen living in Switzerland -Reuters

The initiative aims to have a minimum monthly disposal household income of CHF 2,500 (US$ 2,700) given by the government to every citizen living in Switzerland -Reuters

As reported recently on BI News, following a successful petition initiative, Switzerland will hold national referendum to vote on basic income. The referendum has received significant attention in world news media, including the following articles:

Alice Baghdjian (author) Denis Balibouse (reporter), and Gareth Jones (editor), “Swiss to vote on 2,500 franc basic income for every adult,” Reuters, October 4, 2013. Reposted by MSN: https://news.msn.com/world/swiss-to-vote-on-dollar2800-monthly-income-for-all-adults?stay=1

VIDEO: “Cash Bern: Swiss may grant unconditional income for all” Ruplty TV

VIDEO: “Switzerland: Parliament forced to debate basic income for nationals” Ruptly TV, Oct 3, 2013: Enno Schmidt, founder of Generation Basic Income Initiative, talks through the aims of the unconditional basic income initiative.

Max Rivlin-Nadler, “Swiss to Vote on Guaranteed $2800 Monthly Income for All Adults,” Gawker, October 5, 2013.

Common Dreams staff, “Swiss Showing the World How to Take on Pay Inequality” Common Dreams, Saturday, October 5, 2013. This story includes photos and embedded video.

Ivan Botoucharov, “The Abolition of Poverty in Switzerland: A Template for Europe?” One-Europe, 04 Oct 2013

Anna Edwards, “Streets of Basel paved with gold: 15 TONS of five cent coins are dumped on city’s streets as protesters demand a basic minimum income for every Swiss household,” The Mail Online, 4 October 2013. This story includes pictures of how the coins were assembled to be dropped during the demonstration in Bern.

Jameson, “Swiss to Vote on Whether to Give a $2,800 Monthly Income to Every Citizen,” ClassWarfareExists.com, 5 Oct 2013.

VIDEO: “Swiss prepare to vote on basic income,” Belfast Telegraph.

Richard Cook, “Swiss in Forefront With Basic Income Proposal,” Global Research, 6 October 2013.

AUDIO: Aaron Schachter [Interview with Karl Widerquist], “$2750 a month for every adult, guaranteed? Switzerland’s considering it,” PRI’s The World, Producer: Emily Files, October 14, 2013.

Ronald Blaschke, “Kroatien: ‘We are incredibly happy here and celebrating,’” Netzwerk Grundeinkommen, 16 October 13

VIDEO: Rubin Report, “Switzerland Might Guarantee A $2800 Monthly Income for All Adults,” The Rubin Report, Oct 14, 2013.

Adam Taylor, “Switzerland Mulls Giving Every Citizen $2,800 a Month,” Business Insider, Slate, Oct. 19 2013.

Ivan Botoucharov, “The Abolition of Poverty in Switzerland: A Template for Europe? The success of a ‘Basic Income’ campaign in Switzerland provides momentum to an equivalent EU initiative.” One: Society, Democracy, Europe, 04 Oct 2013.

Josh Eidelson, “Rather than savage cuts, Switzerland considers ‘Star Trek’ economics: Switzerland will vote on giving every adult in the country a $2,800 check every month. How would that work?” Salon.com. Friday, Oct 11, 2013.

If you know of more articles on the BI referendum in Switzerland, please leave the publication information and link in the comments section. If it’s in a language other than English, please indicate what language it’s in.

Activists pile 8 Mio five-centime pieces, one for each citizen in Switzerland, into a bank vault -EPA

Activists pile 8 Mio five-centime pieces, one for each citizen in Switzerland, into a bank vault -EPA

Allan Sheahen, “Fulfilling One Of Martin Luther King Jr.'s Dreams: A Basic Income Guarantee”

by | Oct 11, 2013 | Research

[Craig Axford]

Fulfilling One Of Martin Luther King Jr.'s Dreams: A Basic Income Guarantee -International Business Times

Fulfilling One Of Martin Luther King Jr.'s Dreams: A Basic Income Guarantee -International Business Times

In this recent post in The Hill, Alan Sheahen reminds us that a basic income guarantee (BIG) is not a new idea. Dr. Martin Luther King advocated for it writing in 1967 “I am now convinced that the simplest solution to poverty is to abolish it directly by a new widely discussed measure: the guaranteed income.” In 1969, a Presidential Commission voted 22-0 in favour of the concept, and in 1972 the Democratic Party included BIG in its platform. Sheahen argues it’s time we revisited a basic income guarantee. “The U.S. is a wealthy nation…A basic income guarantee would establish economic security as a universal right.”

Allan Sheahen, “Fulfilling One Of Martin Luther King Jr.’s Dreams: A Basic Income Guarantee,” International Business Times, August 20 2013 1:51 PM

Reprinted as: Allan Sheahen, “America needs a basic income guarantee” The Hill, August 21, 2013

Tom Streithorst, “Creative Destruction, Basic Income and the Jobs of the Future”

by | Oct 10, 2013 | Research

[Craig Axford]

In this post in Pieria, Tom Streithorst outlines the history of ‘creative destruction’ that has enhanced productivity as new technologies replaced workers in both the fields and the factories. He argues agricultural and factory workers alike could once count on moving into new good paying jobs created by emerging technologies, but now rapid automation and the decline of the labour movement is leaving many lucky to find lower paying jobs in the service industry. A basic income guarantee could raise our standard of living and give employees greater leverage with employers while also presenting an opportunity to rethink our collective relationship with work.

Tom Steithorst, “Creative Destruction, Basic Income and the Jobs of the Future” Pieria, August 7, 2013

Creative destruction, basic income and the jobs of the future -Pieria

Creative destruction, basic income and the jobs of the future -Pieria

VIDEO: Emily DeCiccio, “Giving cash directly to the poor”

by | Oct 9, 2013 | Research

[Craig Axford]

GiveDirectly.org takes a different approach to charity by giving money directly to those in need, no strings attached. Emily DeCiccio of MSNBC reports that many people’s initial reaction to this type of giving is that people “will just drink away” the money they are given, but that kind of behaviour is rare. Typically those in need use the money on things they really need. According to GiveDirectly.org’s Jacob Goldstein, “there’s a very econ-101 idea going on here, which is each person knows what he or she needs.”

Emily DeCiccio, “Giving cash directly to the poor”

MSNBC, August 27, 2013-09-30

https://tv.msnbc.com/2013/08/27/giving-cash-directly-to-the-poor/

David Jenkins, “The dangers and potentials of shared ground: A plea for caution”

by | Oct 8, 2013 | News

This article discusses the potential dangers of the shared ground surrounding possible defences of a basic income. It argues that we should be careful to keep the more transformative potentials of basic income firmly in view.

David Jenkins, “The dangers and potentials of shared ground: A plea for caution,” Basic Income UK, October 5, 2013.

The dangers and potentials of shared ground: A plea for caution -BI UK

The dangers and potentials of shared ground: A plea for caution -BI UK