by Yannick Vanderborght | Dec 10, 2013 | Research
This document reports on a conference that was hosted by Studies in Poverty and Inequality Institute (SPII) and the Ecumenical Service on Southern Africa (KASA) in Johannesburg, South Africa. It was held on 25 and 26 April 2013 at the Economic Rights Programme. The conference was aimed to develop an innovative and comprehensive case for the introduction of a universal cash transfer in the form of a Basic Income Grant for the entire Southern African Development Community (SADC). The grant will be funded by a tax on extractive activities, such as mining and drilling.
Studies in Poverty and Inequality Institute, “Report on SADC-wide Basic Income Grant: Alternatives to financing SADC-wide Basic Income Grant,” KASA, June 11, 2013.
by Karl Widerquist | Dec 9, 2013 | Research
Danny Vinik, “Giving All Americans a Basic Income Would End Poverty,” Business Insider. November 17 2013.
by Karl Widerquist | Dec 6, 2013 | News, Research
The success of the Swiss petition drive has created to a great deal of media attention to the issue of basic income. This discussion has penetrated libertarian circles in the United States. So-called “libertarians” support strong, private property rights with little or no taxation, regulation, or redistribution. Although Some readers might be surprised to learn about it, a few libertarian thinkers going back at least 70 years has favored some for basic income guarantee. Many libertarians are attracted to basic income’s potential to streamline, simplify and replace complicated welfare-state programs. Two recent articles, one by Matt Zwolinski for Libertarism.org and one by Matthew Feeney for Reason magazine argue in favor of BIG. Tyler Cowen writes a much more skeptical article for Marginal Revolution. Many pro-market writers are wholly opposed to basic income. An article by Jim Manzi in the National Review (back in 2011) provides one example.
Reason magazine
The articles mentioned above are:
Matt Zwolinski, “The Libertarian Case for a Basic Income,” Libertarianism.org. December 5, 2013.
Matthew Feeney, “Scrap the Welfare State and Give People Free Money: A guaranteed income would reduce the humiliations of the current welfare system while promoting individual responsibility.” Reason, November 26, 2013.
Tyler Cowen, “What are some of the biggest problems with a guaranteed annual income?” Marginal Revolution, November 14, 2013.
Jim Manzi, “Against the Negative Income Tax,” the National Review, February 15, 2011.
Other recent libertarian articles for and against BIG include:
Chris Pacia, “Libertarians For A Guaranteed Minimum Income?” Escape Velocity, December 5, 2013.
Andrea Castillo, “Libertarians for (Better) Welfare,” the Umlaut, November 26, 2013.
Bruegel Netherlandish Proverbs 1559 -from the Umlaut
by Karl Widerquist | Dec 2, 2013 | Research
Kathleen Caulderwood, “$2,700 A Month No Matter What? Some Swiss Ask Government To Assure Income,” International Business Times, November 12 2013.
Switzerland -Rueters
by Karl Widerquist | Dec 1, 2013 | Research
Elliot Sperber, “Toward a Salutary Political-Economy – Freedom from Jobs” Heathwood Press, November 13, 2013.
Heathwood Press
by Karl Widerquist | Nov 30, 2013 | Research
Taking inspiration from the Swiss referendum, this article argues for BIG in India, claiming, “the idea is to help the poor and ensure that government intervention is minimized.”
LiveMint & The Wall Street Journal, “A universal basic income for all Indians.” Hindustan Times, November 25, 2013.
Illustration: Jayachandran/Mint for the Hindustan Times
