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.

The Growth of the Australian Basic Income Movement (Forward to the book, “Implementing a Basic Income in Australia”)

Aug 21, 2019 | Opinion, The Indepentarian

This is a draft version of my forward to the book, Implementing a Basic Income in Australia: Pathways Forward edited by Elise Klein, Jennifer Mays, and Tim Dunlop New York: Palgrave-Macmillan 2019 Back in 1999, when I first started following international developments...

Universal Engagement and Civic Engagement

Aug 18, 2019 | Opinion

A UBI could be a powerful way to recognise and even enable civic engagement. Citizens contribute to society in important ways other than through paid work, including volunteering, supporting others and democratic participation.

The people’s endowment

Aug 14, 2019 | Opinion, The Indepentarian

This article is an early version of a paper that was published as: Karl Widerquist, "The people's endowment." In Axel Gosseries and Inigo Gonzalez (eds.) Institutions for Future Generations, Oxford University Press, pp. 312-330 The proposal Governments should start to...

A form of Basic Income Guarantee has existed in a county in Oregon since 2002

Aug 3, 2019 | Opinion, The Indepentarian

According to the Capital Press, Sherman County, Oregon has had a form of Basic Income Guarantee since 2002. When the boom in wind power began 17 years ago in Sherman County, Ore., leaders there came up with an idea. Instead of the county simply pocketing property...

Why UBI is the right solution to poverty in America

Jul 31, 2019 | Opinion, The Indepentarian

The following is my address, "The Power to Say No and American Social Policy," to a conference entitled, "Poverty in America: A Range of Critical Perspectives on Its Causes, Effects, and Possible Solutions." The conference was held at Florida State University on March...

Korea: Interview with pro-UBI provincial governor

Jul 30, 2019 | Opinion

Governor Jae-myung Lee introduced the “Seongnam Youth Dividend” in 2016 during his term as the mayor of Seongnam city. It was a partial basic income for youth.

Andrew Yang’s Main Goal: Abolish Poverty and Make the Wealthy Pay For It – A Reaction to Chapo Trap House

Jul 25, 2019 | Opinion

By Jason Burke Murphy Andrew Yang's interview with Virgil Texas on the podcast Chapo Trap House helps to answer a lot of questions that keep coming up as his candidacy is debated. After a little while Virgil brings up concerns that one often encounters in debate...

Universal Basic Income and the Philosophy of Freedom

Jul 22, 2019 | Opinion, The Indepentarian

The following is an extended excerpt from, “The Future of Work: Universal Basic Income and the Philosophy of Freedom,” by Romany Williams, SSENSE. The rhetoric that increased entrepreneurship equals a utopian society is one-sided. What about equality as a means for...

Basic Income March, New York City, October 26, 2019 (updated)

Jul 12, 2019 | Opinion, The Indepentarian

New Yorkers are organizing a march for Basic Income. Everyone who can get there is invited to join. The Basic Income March, led by Basic Income NYC, is set for October 26, 2019. It might be accompanied by Basic Income Marches in other cities on the same day. The march...

The History of the Appropriation Story

Jun 15, 2019 | Opinion, The Indepentarian

I'm posting chapters of my latest book project (The Prehistory of Private Property coauthored by Grant. S. McCall) This discussion paper is a draft of Chapter 2 of our forthcoming book, the Prehistory of Private Property. It traces the history...

The Prehistory of Private Property

Jun 9, 2019 | Opinion, The Indepentarian

My latest book project (coauthored by the anthropologist, Grant S. McCall) is called The Prehistory of Private Property. It book tells two parallel histories. It tells the story of how modern property theory became dependent on three misconceptions about the origin of...