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.
Invitation to join the leadership of BIEN
Karl Widerquist, Co-Chair BIEN <Karl@Widerquist.com> Louise Haagh, Co-Chair, BIEN <louise.haagh@york.ac.uk> As co-chairs of BIEN, we would like to invite members and prospective members of BIEN, to join the leadership of BIEN. Getting involved is easy....
What is the Role of Education in a “Jobless Future”?
Our institutions of education must prepare people to live fulfilling and productive lives outside of paid employment.
What should the level of basic income be in 24 European & OECD countries?
The level of Basic Income (BI) is a matter of heated debate in discussions of BI for national implementation, investigating the level at which BI would be ‘high enough’. There is also growing dispute regarding ‘partial’ vs. ’full’ BI. This was the central topic of...
Basic Income as Proposal, as Project, and as Idea
I have been part of Basic Income Earth Network’s and US Basic Income Guarantee Network’s social media team for a while and I want to clarify something for as many readers as possible. There are three ways of looking at the basic income movement: Basic Income can be...
BIEN Needs to Have Yearly Congresses
Karl Widerquist, co-chair Louise Haagh, co-chair We, the two co-chairs of the Basic Income Earth Network (BIEN), have made the following proposal to BIEN’s 2016 General Assembly: “Starting as soon as possible, BIEN will have yearly Congresses whenever affiliate...
After Switzerland – Learning Political Lessons is Key!
Yesterday, the Swiss voted on the proposal to provide a basic income sufficient to allow the people to live in a dignified manner and participate in public life. The proposal was voted down with 23.1% of the voters in favour and 76.9% against. With a participation...
The worldwide march to basic income: Thank you Switzerland!
Despite being formally defeated, the Swiss initiative for basic income should be regarded as a giant step in the now unstoppable march towards basic income.
Swiss Basic Income: Crunching the numbers
The preliminary polls are in for all Cantons (states) in Switzerland. As many already know, the referendum did not pass, with only about 23% of voters in favor of it. From the website for the Swiss Federal Council %-Yes Vote for Basic Income ; Average: 23.1 % These...
Swiss referendum leader discusses basic income
One of the masterminds behind the upcoming Swiss referendum on the basic income Enno Schmidt said that no matter the outcome on June 5, he will still have achieved his goal of starting a widespread discussion about the issue. Schmidt started his basic income advocacy...
A Proposal to Legally Charter BIEN as an International Nonprofit Organization
Louise Haagh, co-chair Karl Widerquist, co-chair The two of us have proposed a new governing structure for BIEN. This proposal replaces BIEN's statutes with the attached document, available on the "About BIEN" page of this Basicincome.org. The goal of it is to retain...
China’s minimum income guarantee you’ve never heard of
Back in the 1990s, China started experimenting with a minimum income guarantee that topped off incomes to a minimum level set by local governments. China called the program dibao, meaning minimum livelihood guarantee, expanding the program nationwide in 2007. In...
On why basic income has not yet been deployed: now it’s Namibia
In these countries, poverty is an asset for big industry, which has, to a great extent, bought political power.
