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...

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’. 

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...

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...

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...

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

In Memoriam: Simo Ruottinen (1970-2017)

In Memoriam: Simo Ruottinen (1970-2017)

On Friday, May 5, 2017, the basic income community in Finland and Europe sadly lost an irreplaceable pillar when the chairman of BIEN Finland, Simo Ruottinen, unexpectedly passed away in his home town of Tampere.

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Gwynne Dyer: “Universal Basic Income — could it work?”

Gwynne Dyer: “Universal Basic Income — could it work?”

In his piece “Universal Basic Income - could it work?”, Gwynne Dyer writes that current populism fails to realize the extent of automation. Promises like “bring the jobs back” and a full-employment economy ignore the extent of automation in technology. Automation of...

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UK: Parliament releases summary of Oral Evidence Hearing on UBI

UK: Parliament releases summary of Oral Evidence Hearing on UBI

On January 12, 2017, the Work and Pensions Committee of the UK Parliament held an oral evidence hearing on universal basic income, the official summary of which is now available online. It ultimately concludes that the measure “risks being a distraction from workable welfare reform” and urges “the incoming government not to expend any energy on it.”

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Report on the Netherlands and Universal Basic Income

Updates from Vereniging Basisinkomen (BIEN-Netherlands), Spring 2017   On 15 March 2017 elections were held for the second chamber in the Netherlands. Many watched in fear that there would be move towards “the wrong populism” as the prime minister called it. This...

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