by Yannick Vanderborght | Nov 15, 2010 | Research
LO VUOLO, Rubén, RAVENTÓS, Daniel & YANES, Pablo (2010), ‘The War Against Social and Working Rights: Basic Income in Times of Economic Crisis’, Counterpunch, November 5-7 2010, online at https://www.counterpunch.org/vuolo11052010.html
A vigorous plea in favour of basic income in times of economic crisis, published by the left-radical newsletter (US-based) Counterpunch. Also available in Spanish at: https://www.nodo50.org/redrentabasica/descargas/DPR.pdf
by Yannick Vanderborght | Nov 14, 2010 | Research
LO VUOLO, Rubén, RAVENTÓS, Daniel & YANES, Pablo (2010), ‘El Ingreso Ciudadano-Renta Básica ante la crisis económica y los ataques a los derechos sociales y laborales’, SinPermiso-electrónico, September 12 2010, online at:
https://www.nodo50.org/redrentabasica/descargas/DPR.pdf
A vigorous plea in favour of basic income in times of economic crisis. Also available in English at:
https://www.counterpunch.org/vuolo11052010.html
by Yannick Vanderborght | Nov 14, 2010 | Research
YAMAMORI Toru (2010), ‘Neoliberals And The Radical Left Are In The Same Basic Income Boat: Is The Debate In Japan An Exception Or Is There A Universal Rationale Behind It?’, EASP & Graduate School of Theology, Sogang University, South Korea. Abstract is available at: https://7th.welfareasia.org/blog/. Author’s address: toruyamamori@gmail.com
This paper by Toru Yamamori (Doshisha University, Kyoto, and Basic Income Network Japan) was presented at the 7th East Asian Social Policy research network (EASP) international conference (Sogang University, Seoul, Korea, 20-21 August 2010). The first section provides an overview of Japan’s system of income security over the past half century and shows the various causes of the current system’s dysfunction. In the second section, the author points out the lack of a vocabulary used to describe the new direction gradually being taken under the Democratic Party of Japan. After briefly outlining the debate surrounding Basic Income in the third section, he uses the fourth section to propose using the vocabulary accumulated in the basic income debate to fill the explanatory gap in discussions of current economic and social policies.
by Karl Widerquist | Nov 14, 2010 | Research
REYNOLDS, Brigid, HEALY, Sean, COLLINS, Micheal (eds.) (2010), The Future of the Welfare State, Dublin: Social Justice Ireland. September 2010. I.S.B.N. No: 978 1 907501 03 6; 136 pages.
This book contains four chapters: “The future of the welfare state: An overview,” by Tony Fahey; “The welfare state across selected OECD countries: How much does it really cost and how good is it in reducing poverty?” by Willem Adema; “Shaping public policy: Is there a place for values-led debate and discourse in the public sphere?” by Daniel O’Connell; and “Shaping the future of the welfare state: What are the challenges and how might they be addressed?” by Sean Healy and Brigid Reynolds. It discusses moving Ireland’s welfare state toward a basic income model. The entire book can be downloaded as a PDF online at:
https://www.socialjustice.ie/content/future-welfare-state-full-texts
by Yannick Vanderborght | Nov 14, 2010 | Research
FITZROY, Felix & JIN, Jim (2010), ‘Efficient Redistribution: Comparing Basic Income with Unemployment Benefits’, Discussion Paper No. 5236, October 2010, Bonn (DE): Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA), iza@iza.org, paper available at https://ftp.iza.org/dp5236.pdf
The authors compare two systems of income redistribution: unemployment benefits (UB) and basic income (BI). First, for a simple utility function, with both intensive and extensive margins, the unemployed are likely better off with pure BI than pure UB, regardless of labour supply elasticity and wage distribution. Then the authors allow a general utility function and ignore intensive margins. For given unemployment, lowering UB and raising BI always benefits the unemployed, raises utilitarian welfare and benefits a poor majority. Reducing unemployment and UB simultaneously can benefit a majority of the employed as well as all unemployed, again for any wage distribution. In other words, the authors show that the majority of the working population gains from switching from unemployment benefits to a universal basic income, with given unemployment and essentially any wage distribution, although the tax rate will increase.
by Yannick Vanderborght | Nov 12, 2010 | Research
BIEN-Suisse (ed.) (2010), Le financement d’un revenu de base inconditionnel, Zurich: Seismo, ISBN 978-2-88351-049-4, https://www.seismoverlag.ch/fr/
This book edited by the Swiss basic income network includes several papers focusing on concrete proposals for financing a basic income scheme in Switzerland. Other contributors examine the same issue for Germany, France, the United Kingdom, and South Africa. A German version is also available.
