This op-ed piece in the Tucson Citizen argues for a Basic Income Guarantee. The author, Bob Lord, writes, “We’ve reached a level of national income that we have the means to do so. The real question is whether we have the morality to do so.”
Bob Lord, “The Basic Income Guarantee,” The Tucson Citizen, Jul. 30, 2013
Discussion of BIG has reached Bloomberg Businessweek. This opinion piece by Chris Farrell argues for BIG in the form of a Negative Income Tax. Farrell is contributing economics editor for Bloomberg Businessweek.
By Chris Farrell, “It’s Time for a Negative Income Tax,” Bloomberg Businessweek August 08, 2013
A worker views a monitor at the drive-thru window of a McDonald's Corp. restaurant in Little Falls, NJ -Photograph by Emile Wamsteker/Bloomberg
Basic Income and the Free Market
This book is collection of essays by economists and political scientists, each with an interest in arguments of the Austrian school of economics. The book, Basic Income and the Free Market, outlines Austrian arguments for and against the BIG. According to the publisher, it includes critiques of Austrian theory from market-socialist and post-Keynesian perspectives that lead to defense of the BIG; critiques of BIG that consider Austrian and other heterodox theory; comparisons of the policy to proposals by others, such as Milton Friedman’s negative income tax; pragmatic arguments for the policy; and proposals which discuss complex systems theory (which is embraced by ‘left’ and ‘right’ thinkers alike) and its relationship to Hayek’s spontaneous order.
The collection opens a dialog between Austrian and other heterodox economists as well as between ‘classical liberal,’ libertarian, and left-leaning or socialist political scientists and policymakers. The authors discuss whether the BIG could offer an alternative to both laissez-faire and existing welfare systems in developed countries, which are often criticized by both advocates and critics of laissez-faire, opening a constructive dialog in policy discussion. Included in this discussion is a systematic critique of pure laissez-faire interpretations of Austrian theory, and the analysis of the addition of a BIG to pure laissez-faire in the place of existing interventionist systems. Proposals making this case form the first section, followed by rebuttals and proposals against the policy, and rejoinders.
Guinevere Liberty Nell, Basic Income and the Free Market: Austrian Economics and the Potential for Efficient Redistribution, Palgrave Macmillan, August 2013
Basic Income: An Anthology of Contemporary Research
Basic Income: An Anthology of Contemporary Research presents a compilation of six decades of Basic Income literature. It includes the most influential empirical research and theoretical arguments on all aspects of the Basic Income proposal. According to the publisher, it presents the best theoretical and empirical arguments for and against Basic Income. It includes unpublished and hard-to-find articles. It is the first major compendium on one of the most innovative political reform proposals of our age. It explores multidisciplinary views of Basic Income, with philosophical, economic, political, and sociological views. It features contributions from key and well-known philosophers and economists, including Tony Atkinson, James Buchanan, Milton Friedman, Erick Fromm, Andre Gorz, Claus Offe, Philip Pettit, John Rawls, Herbert Simon, Philippe Van Parijs, and many more.
Karl Widerquist, Jose Noguera, Yannick Vanderborght, and Jurgen De Wispelaere (eds.), August 2013. Basic Income: An Anthology of Contemporary Research, Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell
The publisher’s U.S. webpage for this book is: https://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-1405158107.html
The publisher’s E.U. webpage for this book is:
https://eu.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-1405158107.html
This article asks readers to imagine creating a fund to accumulate compound interest to create a back income in the future.
Tobias Bucknell, “Basic Income Plan: a thought experiment,” TobiasBucknell.com, August 5, 2013
Citizen Dividend fund from Tobias Bucknell
From the perspective of a committed member of the U.S. Republican Party,in this article Chris Ladd argues that a basic income has something for Republicans and Democrats. Chris Ladd asks, “How would Republicans react to a proposal that would eliminate the food stamp program, shut down welfare, slash the state and federal workforce, replace Social Security, and end the minimum wage? How would Democrats respond if that same program extended the social safety net across the entire scope of the population, eliminating poverty and fueling opportunity in under-developed areas?”
Chris Ladd, “How to End the Welfare State,” GOPlifer: Which way is right? The Houston Chronicle, August 6, 2013
Unemployment