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“Every revolutionary idea seems to evoke three stages of reaction.
First: It’s completely impossible. Second: It’s possible, but it’s not worth doing.
Third: I said it was a good idea all along!”
Arthur C. Clarke (1917 – 2008)
Like any serious social programme, basic income must pass two tests represented by the questions (in the following order): is it fair and is it technically feasible? This article written by Arcarons, J., Raventós, D. and Torrens, L., builds on their previous work here, and addresses these two questions.
First it rebutes many other articles and authors who have criticised the Unconditional Basic Income previously. Secondly, it responds to one of the most common criticisms of basic income, which is that it would be impossible to finance, or that it would mean a “big tax hike”. The authors show financial figures and demonstrate that a basic income can be financed in Spain and, of course, that it would not entail a “big tax hike”.
For the detailed proposal, see the following source: Daniel Raventós , Jordi Arcarons , Lluís Torrens: La renta básica incondicional y cómo se puede financiar. Comentarios a los amigos y enemigos de la propuesta [Unconditional basic income and how it can be financed. Comments to friends and enemies of the proposal]. December 1, 2016, www.redrentabasica.org
