by Malcolm Torry | Sep 15, 2020 | News
A new tool for communication, interaction and collaboration among Universal Basic Income (UBI) Advocates and UBI Networks was launched on the 15th September as part of the 13th International Basic Income Week.
The tool, ‘Global Map of UBI Networks’, has been developed under the umbrella of ‘Worldwide Meetings of UBI Advocates and UBI Networks’. It is a digital map of UBI Networks, and at its launch there were 132 UBI Networks from more than 45 different countries participating in it’s first version.
At the moment, the map is still under construction: but you can see the current state of the working map at this link. (Click on the markers to see the details of the UBI Networks.)
The HTML Codes of and an explanatory text regarding the map will be shared with the participating UBI Networks so that if they wish they can embed the map directly into their website pages.
The map references not only networks with the sole purpose of advocating UBI, but also all organizations (networks, foundations, platforms, political parties, working groups within political parties, societies, study groups, etc.) that advocate for UBI.
If a UBI Network wishes to participate in the ‘Global Map of UBI Networks’, the details of the network should be filled in in the Google Form accessible from this link.
The working group carrying out this project is composed of Hannes Mehrer (Germany), Ali Mutlu Köylüoğlu (Turkey) and Peter Knight (USA and Brazil). Also, special thanks to Luc Gosselin (Canada) and Robin Ketelars (Netherlands) for their help.
For further information, see the UBI-Advocates website.
by Malcolm Torry | Sep 15, 2020 | News
Louise Haagh has served as Co-chair and Chair of BIEN for a total of three terms of office, and has decided not to stand again for the post of Chair at the forthcoming Executive Committee elections. At its meeting on the 6th September the Executive Committee expressed its thanks to Louise in the following terms:
The meeting expressed its thanks to Louise for the commitment evidenced in her three terms as Co-chair and then Chair; for her initiatives, such as the BIEN Conversations; for the robust intellectual basis that she had established for BIEN; for her registration of BIEN as an NGO in Belgium, and for encouraging the decision to register in the UK; and for her many other contributions to the Basic Income movement. The meeting wished Louise well in her future endeavours, and hoped to continue to collaborate with her in the future.
by Malcolm Torry | Sep 15, 2020 | News
GoodDollar has launched what it calls the ‘GoodDollar basic income‘.
GoodDollar wraps around yield-generating decentralized finance protocols. Those funds are used to mint a reserve-backed crypto-asset (G$), which is used for yield-payouts to Supporters who staked capital, and distributed daily as basic income to users. For those who are interested to understand more, the GoodDollar White Paper explains all the key monetary policy and monetary tools.
A longer article about this project will follow shortly.
by Malcolm Torry | Sep 13, 2020 | News, Research
The original plan was for an international conference in Korea in February 2020, but the coronavirus pandemic caused the event to be postponed. An international conference has now been held online, and a wide range of speakers and discussants from around the world have contributed.
Session 1 was on ‘steppingstones to Basic Income: pilots and trials’; and session 2 was about Basic Income financing strategies. The sessions can be seen here.
Session 3 was about modern capitalism, modern life, and Basic Income; session 4 about Basic Income, local currency, and regional economy; and session 5 about the welfare state crisis and Basic Income. Sessions 3, 4 and 5 can be seen here.
by Malcolm Torry | Sep 13, 2020 | News
The online journal russland.capital has reported that the Chair of the United Russia Party, Dmitry Medvedev, has initiated a discussion about Basic Income.
Dmitry Medvedev, vice-chairman of the Security Council and chairman of the United Russia Party, proposed a discussion on the introduction of a basic income in Russia during an online meeting broadcast on the party’s website. “What is meant by this is the inviolability of this minimum amount of money that the state pays a person regardless of the type of activity and social and economic status,” said Medvedev. … “The pandemic has shown how important it is to support people in order to maintain social stability. Of course, this idea requires the most careful analysis, ” said Medvedev. He invited his party colleagues to discuss this idea with members of the government and trade unions.
The article (in German) can be read here. (Readers might wish to be aware that some of the terminology quoted in this article is ambiguous. It is not always clear that a Basic Income is what is being discussed.)
Irina Soloveva, of BIEN’s affiliated organisation, ‘Basic Income Russia Tomorrow’, has said ‘This is great news for Russia’. Alexander Solovev, Chair of the trustees of Basic Income Russia Tomorrow, has written an article about the development.
