BIEN | Opinion
Opinion Posts
Here you will find articles expressing opinions about current issues in the Basic Income debate. Opinions expressed are not necessarily the opinions of BIEN.
Top 10 Universal Basic Income Articles of 2024
As the editor of Basic Income Today and a moderator for the Basic Income subreddit, I read a lot of stuff every year about UBI, somewhere around 100 articles a month. Below, I've compiled a list of the top ten articles I consider my favorites out of everything...
Is it time for basic income in Pakistan?
Photo by Hamid Roshaan on Unsplash Social assistance is everywhere conditional, and in Pakistan it is no different. Either it comes with behavioural strings attached — ‘do this and we’ll help you, don’t and we won’t’ — or it is targeted, with receipt conditional on...
Climate Justice Without Borders
How Cap and Share can end fossil fuel extraction, raise trillions for climate finance, and create a global universal basic income. To read more, click here.
Why social assistance shouldn’t come with strings attached
"When the authorities provide social assistance to those in need, it almost always comes with conditions attached. These include behavioural requirements or criteria determining who is and isn’t eligible for support. Common examples include proving that you’re looking...
Doing Bitcoin the Basic Income Way
Photo by Traxer on Unsplash "...there are on the horizon two radical ideas that have the potential to create synergy which can revolutionize the way we are currently addressing the income vulnerability and different forms of deprivation in the world today. The two...
How Basic Income Can Support Climate Tech Solutions
The evolution of climate action has reflected the need for affordable options. Universal basic income (UBI) has the unique opportunity to empower everyone to change the world. The warming environment necessitates rapid development and deployment of climate...
Revolutionizing Rural China: Shareholding Reforms as a Catalyst for Economic Empowerment
China's ongoing rural reforms are fostering practices akin to basic income, offering dividends to residents in the vast countryside. This development draws a parallel to the broader discussion of basic income within the context of China's social security system and...
Chinese youth ‘optimistic’ toward basic income
In a recent study conducted examining attitudes among Chinese youth towards basic income, notable findings emerged, highlighting both a lack of comprehensive understanding and a positive disposition towards the concept. The study, conducted through a questionnaire by...
A Four-Sentence Argument for Basic Income
My main perspective is an argument with four premises: 1. It's wrong for anyone to come between anyone else and the resources they need to survive in almost all circumstances. 2. Freedom is the power to say no. 3. A private property economy (or a socialist economy)...
Unified Basic Income: A Viable Solution for Israel and Palestine?
While the proposition may appear daunting, the exploration of Universal Basic Income (UBI) for both Israelis and Palestinians is certainly worthwhile. Given the sustained conflicts in the region — from bombings in Gaza to raids in villages — and the current Israeli...
UBI Provides a Safety Net During Bank Failures
This month Silicon Valley Bank defaulted causing the biggest bank failure since Lehman Brothers in 2008. The US government helped in finding a solution to stop the depositors from losing their money. The main reason for the bank's failure was a bank run because of the...
New blog post argues for UBI to reform capitalism
In a blog post entitled "Re-engineering our fragile economy and democracy", Geoff Crocker argues that UBI "addresses ethical issues of income inequality, gender inequality, precarity, and security" and should be at least in part financed by "central bank monetary...
BIEN Congresses
The 24th BIEN CONGRESS in Maricá & Niterói – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – 27-29 August 2025
Linkedin, Instagram, X – biencongress25 (at) gmail [dot] com
BIEN2024 was August 29–31 (Pictures and more coming soon)