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.
Social Experiments 101: A Short Primer for UBI Observers
If we can’t answer some key questions, such as how to finance a UBI in a way that wouldn’t make currently low-income people worse off, we shouldn’t implement a UBI at all.
The Pursuit of Accord
The hardest thing for any society to do is to avoid oppressing its least advantaged people. Politics everywhere is an insider game: people with political, economic, and social advantages make policy for their own benefit not just neglecting outsiders, but oppressing...
When people ask me where online to find empirical research on the effects of Basic Income….
When people ask me where to find empirical research on the effects of Basic Income online, I tend to recommend the following sources, both for the sources themselves and for the many more sources you'll find in their bibliographies: Karl Widerquist A Critical Analysis...
Erik Olin Wright, influential sociologist and long-term Basic Income advocate, announces he has only weeks to live (Update: Wright passed away on January 23)
Erik Olin Wright, a long-term advocate of Universal Basic Income and one of the most influential sociologists today, recently announced that his doctors have advised him that he has only a few weeks left to live. (Update: he passed away on January 23.) He is best...
Farmers’ Distress, Electoral Democracy and Basic Income Discussion in India
In the last two weeks, there has been much speculation in some sections of media about Prime Minister Narendra Modi seriously considering basic income as a policy option..
Is basic income ‘not necessary’ for Russia?
“You should not implement pilot projects in the country,” a representative of the Russian government preaches to Russian citizens.
Canada: Event on Guaranteed Livable Income and Sustainable Futures
How can a guaranteed livable income help us to live equitably, sustainably, and peacefully? This was the focus of a recent event held in Canada.
The marginalization of ‘basic income’ in Canada
The discussion of a “basic income” often conflates basic income and a negative income tax. Basic Income has been marginalized in current social and political discourse.
’21 Lessons for the 21st Century’ shows humanity’s challenges
What does the future hold, an unemployment ridden wasteland or a leisure based post-work society?
Is Taiwan ready for a basic income referendum?
Taiwan has seen its first series of referendums since the significant liberalization of its referendum law early this year. The results could have implications for the basic income movement in Taiwan and possibly the Asia Pacific.
U.S. Elections: Wave and Counter-Wave
The Midterm elections in the United States were extremely interesting. There was a huge Blue Wave of people coming out to vote against Trump's party, but unlike most midterm elections, there was also a Counter-Wave of enthusiastic Republicans coming out to support...
Basic income should join forces with a ‘social network’ revolution
In order for UBI to work, it needs to be provided in exchange for prosocial, connection-enriching participation, learning and development.
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)