by Karl Widerquist | Aug 5, 2012 | Research
A Survey by Europe & Me and FutureLab Europe, conducted for the Europe@debate at the European Foundation Center Conference in Belfast, 7 June 2012.
This article is about a survey conducted in April-May 2012 among 464 young Europeans concerning the social justice in Europe and UBI. The survey consisted of multiple choice questions and place for comments. According to the survey, large number of respondents (73%) answered that they believe social welfare policy in Europe should get more harmonized. Also, survey results show that the opinion about the implementation of UBI is polarized with more females being in favor and most males being against it. When asked about the advantages of the UBI, most responded that it would provide securer social safety net. In relation to the disadvantages, most believed that it will give people incentives not to work. In the survey, to the question about their choice of ideal distribution of wealth, most picked the “utopian” model. The outcomes of the survey showed that the older was the responder, more in favor of basic income one was.
“Social Justice in Europe: The Unconditional Basic Income (UBI) as a Model for the Future”. – April-May 2012.
Social Justice in Europe: The Unconditional Basic Income (UBI) as a Model for the Future. (April-May 2012). Europe & Me, FutureLab Europe, online at:
https://www.koerber-stiftung.de/fileadmin/user_upload/bildung/eustory/pdf/Social%20Justice%20Report_FINALJune4.pdf.
by Karl Widerquist | Aug 2, 2012 | Research
In an article published on the Bloomberg View site, Robert and Edward Skidelsky discuss the perils of relying on markets to secure the livelihood of members of a society and the need to diminish the incentives to work. They argue that full employment can be achieved by decreasing work hours per person and increasing the percentage of the population employed. For those not able to be employed or low-wage workers, they propose a basic income paid by the government. The authors note the major objections to basic income of work disincentive and cost, however, reject both on the grounds that: if the goal is not economic growth but securing good lives, de-incentivizing work is a positive outcome; and wealthy societies are able to afford the costs of a basic income. Skidelsky and Skidelsky assert, “an unconditional basic income, in the form of a single capital endowment or a guaranteed annual income, would start to give all workers the same choice as to how much work to do, and under what conditions — a privilege now possessed only by the wealthy.” Finally, they conclude the article by recommending a redistributive consumption tax to divert resources from consumption to societal betterment.
This article is available at: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-06-07/too-much-faith-in-markets-denies-us-the-good-life.html and is an excerpt from their new book, “How Much Is Enough? Money and the Good Life,” which will be published on June 19 by Other Press.
by Karl Widerquist | Aug 1, 2012 | Research
Trish Hennessy recently published a short article on the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives blog that included a variety of expert opinions on how to reduce income inequality. A wide range of solutions were presented within the 16 quotes that were used in the blog, including: improvements to the labor market, employment protections, income supports, public services, and changes to the tax system. One of the experts Hennessey consulted was Rob Rainer, the Executive Director of Canada Without Poverty, who suggested that income security could best be reduced by a new basic income scheme, guaranteeing a sufficient and stable floor of income for all Canadians.
The article is online at: https://www.behindthenumbers.ca/2012/06/06/how-to-fix-income-inequality/
by Yannick Vanderborght | Jul 7, 2012 | Research
In this article, in the Turkish Internet journal called Mavi Defter (which translates as “Blue Notebook”), Yuksel Akkaya argues that even the politicians who speak on the side of basic income are not ready to spend enough money to support it. He further stresses that “humanists” always try to find solutions to social problems. Those “humanists” always tried to arbitrate the failing regimes, and by doing so became the creators of even worse social and living conditions for ordinary people.
Akkaya says that as controversially it might seem, both leftists and rightists support basic income. According to them, in order for basic income to work, it needs to be supported by the market and not by the public. They argue that if it will be supported by the market, it will be more rational. Supporting it any other way would be “populist” and one needs to avoid that. Basic income liberalists claim that the best way is to give everyone basic income, but cut on social expenditures. That way public has no right to complain as they are already getting a basic income. According to these liberalists, the taxation system can also be simplified. Simplified for whom? Asks Akkaya. For industrialists? They are already not paying much. In the history of capitalism, the flexibility and the mobility of capitalist market always benefited privileged few tells the author. In the next part of this article, Akkaya will look at the other side of the coin.
“Temel Gelir versus Kapitalism (mi?) II” (Is Basic Income against Capitalism I). “Mavi Defter” (Blue Notebook).
Akkaya, Y. (2012). Is basic income against capitalism ii. Mavi Defter, online at: https://www.mavidefter.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=55:temel-gelir-versus-kapitalizm-mi-ii&catid=58:yukselakkaya&Itemid=96
by Karl Widerquist | Jul 5, 2012 | Research, The Indepentarian
In this op-ed, Jason Hickel, argues that Sudan should create a sovereign wealth fund paying regular dividends. South Sudan, is a very poor country with substantial oil resources, most of which are yet to be fully tapped. Hickel bases his argument on Alaska’s experience with its Permanent Fund and Dividend, which pay a yearly basic income to all Alaskans. Hickel is an LSE Fellow at the London School of Economics and Political Science. He is a contributing author to the book, Exporting the Alaska Model: Adapting the Permanent Fund Dividend for Reform around the World.
The article is online at:
https://www.theafricareport.com/index.php/20120629501814512/news-analysis/can-south-sudan-learn-from-the-alaska-model-501814512.html
by Karl Widerquist | Jul 4, 2012 | Research
This op-ed compares defends Obamacare to libertarians by stressing libertarian economist, F.A. Hayek’s views on basic income and universal healthcare. “There is no reason,” Hayek wrote according to Angner, “why in a free society, government should not assure to all protection against severe deprivation in the form of an assured minimum income … This need not lead to a restriction of freedom or conflict with the rule of law.” On healthcare, Hayek wrote, “the case for the state helping to organize a comprehensive system of social insurance is very strong.”
Erik Anger is the author of “Hayek and Natural Law.” He is an associate professor of philosophy, economics and public policy at George Mason University.
The article is online at:
https://www.politico.com/news/stories/0612/77805.html
