A Basic Income is a periodic cash payment unconditionally delivered to all on an individual basis, without means-test or work requirement.

UBIdata: Data for Basic Income Research and Policy

At its most recent congress, BIEN launched UBIdata, an innovative new tool with a mission to match reliable information about basic income with a rapidly growing global user base of individuals and organisations eager to learn more. UBIdata gathers, processes and...
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Rentier Capitalism, the Precariat and Basic Income for China

Throughout history, capitalism has evolved, changing character and changing the class structure defining each era. The changes in the 20th century can be understood by reference to what Karl Polanyi called the Great Transformation. Briefly, in his formulation, in the 19th century, mainly in Britain, there was an initial period in the evolution of industrial capitalism that was dominated by financial capital, in which old systems of distribution, regulation and social protection were dismantled, in what we would call the pursuit of a ‘free market economy’. 
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Taiwan Makes History with Universal Cash Payment Plan

Taiwan is making history by sending out a one-time universal cash payment of $6,000 New Taiwan dollars (NTD) to every citizen “young and old.” This is the first time the country has implemented such a policy, and it comes as a result of excess tax revenue of $450...
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Join Hands & Hearts With BIEN

A convergence of various circumstances in the 21st century has made a Basic Income policyan achievable goal. Discussions and policy debates about Basic Income are taking place in countries across the world. We see this as an incredible opportunity for BIEN to...
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This South Korean Presidential Election is Vital

There are rare moments when a combination of threatening circumstances leads to a wonderful transformation that only a short time before would have been unimaginable. This year may be such a moment. The Republic of Korea could set an example to the world that would...
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The Royal Society of Arts Explains: [2 minutes]

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BIEN Congresses

The 24th BIEN CONGRESS in Maricá & Niterói – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – 27-29 August 2025

Call for Papers

Linkedin, Instagram, X  – biencongress25 (at) gmail [dot] com

BIEN2024 was August 29–31 (Pictures and more coming soon)

Basic Income

A Basic Income is a periodic cash payment unconditionally delivered to all on an individual basis, without means-test or work requirement. Read more

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Recent News, Opinion, and Research

The American Dividend: In the Name of Prosperity

May 19, 2017 |

I hope that soon enough we will have the good fortune of debating at great length strategies for basic income on the national scale, because it will mean that the very premise has been accepted into our hearts and consciences as both essential and moral moving forward.

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NETHERLANDS: A radical new way do fund science

NETHERLANDS: A radical new way do fund science

May 16, 2017 |

Back in 2014, Johan Bollen and four other colleagues published an EMBO report, presenting a new and radical approach to scientific funding. Since then, Johan has paired with Marten Scheffer so as to develop and communicate further the notion of SOFA – Self Organized...

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Yokohama, JAPAN: Rutger Bregman on UBI

May 15, 2017 |

Rutger Bregman’s Utopia for Realists is translated to Japanese. Marking the publication, Bregman is coming to Japan and giving a talk. He will speak in English with a simultaneous translation to Japanese.   Date: 16 May 2016 Time: 19:00-20:30 Veneu: Kyoseikan 4th...

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PODCAST: Sylvia Federici on Capitalism

PODCAST: Sylvia Federici on Capitalism

May 13, 2017 |

94.1 KPFA, a community radio station in Berkley, CA, USA, broadcasted Sylvia Fedetici’s talk on How Capitalism Endures on 26 April 2017. The podcast can be currently listened to here.   Federici was one of founders of the International Campaign for Wages for...

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A response to “Citizen’s Income: Rights and Wrongs”

A response to “Citizen’s Income: Rights and Wrongs”

May 12, 2017 |

David Piachaud of the London School of Economics last November published an article claiming to successfully refute Philippe van Parijs’ famous argument for basic income from his 1991 paper “Why Surfers Should be Fed: The Liberal Case for an Unconditional Basic Income.” He claims that the fatal flaw of van Parijs’ argument is that he does not take into account the crucial distinction between the voluntarily and involuntarily unemployed. Unfortunately, Piachaud overlooks or underestimates van Parijs’ lucid explanation of why both are entitled to the basic income. In this article, I try to show why van Parijs’ argument is unaffected by Piachaud’s critique.

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