MYLONDO, Baptiste (2011), Un revenu pour tous. Précis d’utopie réaliste, Paris: Les Editions Utopia.
A well-documented and well-balanced overview of the basic income discussion, which includes a detailed discussion of the most important objections to the idea. The book is published by “Utopia”, a left-wing movement based in Paris.
SEEKINGS, Jeremy & MATISONN, Heidi (2010), ‘The Continuing Politics of Basic Income in South Africa’, Centre for Social Science Research Working Paper No. 286, November 2010.
An excellent and up-to-date overview of the basic income discussion in South Africa. The paper is online at: https://www.cssr.uct.ac.za/sites/cssr.uct.ac.za/files/pubs/WP286.pdf
GAMEL, Claude, (2011), ‘Basic income and ELIE transfers: Argument for compatibility despite divergence’ in GAMEL, Claude & LUBRANO, Michel (eds.), 2011, On Kolm’s Theory of Macrojustice. A Pluridisciplinary Forum of Exchange, foreword by Tony ATKINSON, Springer Verlag, 2011, 370 pages.
The theory of macrojustice, introduced by S.-C. Kolm, is a stimulating contribution to the debate on the macroeconomic income distribution. The solution called “Equal Labour Income Equalisation” (ELIE) is the result of a three stages construction: collective agreement on the scheme of labour income redistribution, collective agreement on the degree of equalisation to be chosen in that framework, individual freedom to exploit his-her productive capacities (the source of labour income and the sole basis for taxation). For example, by giving to society the market value of one day of their working week, the individuals pay a lump-sum tax, which varies from one individual to another only in terms of the productive capacities of the individual concerned. In return, they receive from society the average value of all incomes derived from this one working day.
This collective book is organised as a discussion around four complementary themes: philosophical aspects of macrojustice, economic analysis of macrojustice, combination of ELIE with other targeted transfers, econometric evaluations of ELIE. Gamel devotes chapter 5 (pp. 145-185) to the comparison between Van Parijs’ book – Real Freedom for All (1995) – and Kolm’s book – Macrojustice (2005) -. Despite being formally close, both propositions diverge because the financing of basic income is not really guaranteed and the treatment by ELIE transfers of “eccentric productive people” who choose not to work is not obvious. Both projects remain nevertheless compatible: from a philosophical point of view, Van Parijs tries to equalise individuals’ “external endowments”, while Kolm exploits only their “internal endowments”; from an economic point of view, TECIE transfers which would be based on “external endowments” could thus complete ELIE transfers stemming from “internal endowments”. The first examination of this “hybridisation” provides the framework of a temporary conclusion.
Further information on line at:
https://www.springer.com/economics/public+finance/book/978-3-540-78376-3
BIRNBAUM, Simon (2010), ‘Radical liberalism, Rawls and the welfare state: justifying the politics of basic income’, Critical Review of InternationalSocial and Political Philosophy, 13(4): 495-516.
In response to recent policy trends towards linking social rights moretightly to work requirements, this article argues that those sharingRawlsian commitments have good reasons to prefer a radical-liberal policy agenda with a universal basic income at its core. Compared to its main rivals in present policy debates, the politics of basic income has greater potential to promote the economic life prospects of the least advantaged in a way that provides a robust protection for the bases of social recognition and non-subservience. The argument seeks to establish that these concerns should be ascribed priority in the most plausible balancing of Rawlsian objectives and that doing so generates a strong case for basic income. As recent arguments for basic income have suggested that Rawls’ theory is insufficient to make the case for such a reform, this analysis also demonstrates that a powerful argument for basic income can be built on Rawlsian foundations alone.
Author’s email: simon.birnbaum@statsvet.su.se
Academics, activists and practitioners will meet in Berlin in may to work on strategies towards an alternative, ecologically sustainable and socially equitable degrowth society. Not only will a lot of Basic Income supporters take part in the congress, but Netzwerk Grundeinkommen will present workshops as well. Already Barcelona’s 2010 declaration of degrowth dealt with Basic Income.
https://www.jenseits-des-wachstums.de/willkommen/?L=2, https://www.degrowth.eu/v1/index.php?id=119
