In a new publication Cash in Hand, Marc Doussard, Jurgen De Wispelaere and Joe Chrisp make the case for basic income as a policy solution that reinvigorates left-behind places. Featuring a foreword by Olivier De Schutter, UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights.
Often only viewed as a national policy, recent initiatives and debates open up the idea of basic income being introduced by municipalities and regions. In the regional policy world, the long-term failure of regeneration schemes focused on manufacturing and innovation has led to a focus on endogenous development: Regional dynamism achieved by maximizing the talents and contributions of existing residents. The fit between basic income and this agenda is more than aspirational. Worldwide, regions and municipalities are leading the way in experimenting with basic income and other unconditional cash transfers. Cash in Hand guides readers through the theory, evidence and practical politics of basic income as regional policy.
Cash in Hand will be launched at the BIEN Congress in Toronto (20-22 August 2026), with Marc Doussard and Jurgen De Wispelaere in conversation with Amy Castro, Tom Cooper, Fabienne Hansen and Vibhor Mathur. Join us if you are in Toronto!
Read Cash in Hand here: https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/rpim20/current
