Sharon Murphy, “Remedy for poverty tragically discarded,” the Chronicle Herald [Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada], November 25, 201
Sharon Murphy: “I maintain a guaranteed livable income is a potent force for spreading equality and fairness throughout the world.” (INGRID BULMER/Chronicle Herald)
A website called Livingincome.me promotes a proposal called “the Living Income Guaranteed.” Although similar to basic income, this proposal has some significant differences. According to the website, “The Living Income Guaranteed is the provision of an actual ‘Living Income’ for each eligible citizen – an income that provides a reasonable level of financial security so that everyone may lead a dignified life. Unlike the Basic Income Grant proposals, the Living Income Guaranteed is not unconditionally provided but is allocated through a means-test. The Living Income Guaranteed is a social security ‘net’ available to all; on an as-needed basis.”
The LIG proposal is online at: https://livingincome.me/wiki/The_Living_Income_Guaranteed_Proposal
More info as at: https://livingincome.me/
Living Income Guaranteed
On December 18th, 2013, the BBC News published a lengthy article about the referendum on basic income to be held in Switzerland. According to the BBC, “the anger among many Swiss voters at the news that some of their biggest banks, such as UBS, had continued paying top executives huge bonuses while also reporting huge losses” played a role in facilitating the collection of signatures in favour of basic income. In this context, the author argues, “it was easy to gather the 100,000 signatures to hold the vote on universal income”. But there is still a long road ahead. In particular, “Swiss business leaders have reacted with dismay” to the basic income proposal.
The article can be read online.
On December 13th, 2013, the French daily Le Monde has published a column entitled “Pour la mise en place d’un revenu universel” (“Arguing for the introduction of a basic income”), by Philippe Van Parijs (Louvain University). Among other things, Van Parijs refers to the Swiss referendum on basic income.
This opinion piece is available online.
Press release from the European Citizens Initiative for Unconditional Basic Income Europe
UPDATE: As of December 5th, 31 MEPs have signed the statement of support.
Twenty-nine members of the European Parliament (MEPs) from 12 different European Countries issued a joint statement (pdf) expressing their support for the European Citizen’s Initiative (ECI) for Unconditional Basic Income. This calls upon the European Commission to assess the idea of reforming current national social security arrangements towards an unconditional basic income (UBI).
MEPs ask all Europeans to support this initiative. All EU citizens eligible to vote can support this ECI either via the internet (https://sign.basicincome2013.eu) or on paper. One million signatures are needed by 14 January 2014 to make sure it lands on the EC’s desk.
The current social security systems are demeaning and inadequate in addressing the roots of poverty, the MEPs emphasize.
“Unconditional Basic Income would transform social security from a compensatory system into an emancipatory system, one that trusts people to make their own decisions, and does not stigmatise them for their circumstances,” the statement says.
“We believe a new form of social security is urgently needed as social security systems in individual countries become increasingly conditional and punitive, they undermine individual dignity, form barriers to civic participation and deepen divisions in European society both across and within national borders.”
They also said this new form of social security is far simpler than existing (often chaotic and burdensome) systems, would help balance income disparities and could help mitigate the social and racial tensions caused by economic migration.
Signatories:
Martin EHRENHAUSER, independent (Austria)
Philippe LAMBERTS, Greens (Belgium)
Isabelle DURANT, Greens (Belgium)
Bart STAES, Greens (Belgium)
Nikola VULJANIĆ, Left (Croatian)
Olga SEHNALOVÁ, Social Democrats (Czech Republic)
Tarja CRONBERG, Greens (Finland)
Satu HASSI, Greens (Finland)
Catherine GREZE, Greens (France)
Eva JOLY, Greens (France)
José BOVÉ, Greens (France)
Karima DELLI, Greens (France)
Jean-Paul BESSET, Greens (France)
Nicole KIIL-NIELSEN, Greens (France)
Yves COCHET, Greens (France)
Malika BENARAB-ATTOU, Greens (France)
Michèle RIVASI, Greens (France)
Gerald HÄFNER, Greens (Germany)
Ska KELLER, Greens (Germany)
Nikos CHRISOGELOS, Greens (Greece)
Brian CROWLEY, ALDE (Ireland)
Emer COSTELLO, Social Democrats (Ireland)
Liam AYLWARD, ALDE (Ireland)
Nessa CHILDERS, independent (Ireland)
Sean KELLY, Christian Democrats (Ireland)
Pat the Cope Callagher, ALDE (Ireland)
Georges BACH, Christian Democrats (Luxembourg)
Claude TURMES, Greens (Luxembourg)
Carl SCHLYTER, Greens (Sweden)
Jean LAMBERT, Greens (UK)
Keith TAYLOR, Greens (UK)
[update 29/11] Olga SEHNALOVÁ, Keith TAYLOR, Bart STAES and Yves COCHET also brought their support.
[update 30/11] Isabelle DURANT was added
[update 05/12] Jean-Paul BESSET and Nicole KIIL-NIELSEN joined their support
