A Basic Income is a periodic cash payment unconditionally delivered to all on an individual basis, without means-test or work requirement.
The Royal Society of Arts Explains: [2 minutes]
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)
Recent News, Opinion, and Research
VIDEO: David Pakman Show “Finland’s ‘Basic Income’ Test is Set Up to Fail”
The David Pakman Show’s latest video on basic income (published on September 1) critiques the design for the Finnish basic income experiment, which Pakman says is “set up to fail” and a “bogus way” to test basic income.
An Interview with Tyler Prochazka
How'd you get an interest in Basic Income (BI)? My interest in BI started back around 2013 after reading a Reason article. It described how a BI would provide a much more efficient social safety net. It intrigued me at the time and over the next couple of years I...
WASHINGTON DC, US: Book Forum with Andy Stern and Charles Murray
The Cato Institute will hold a UBI-themed book forum on Tuesday, October 4, featuring Andy Stern and Charles Murray. The event will be streamed live.
Gleb Tsipursky, “Free money is not so funny anymore: Confessions of a (former) skeptic of basic income”
Gleb Tsipursky, a history professor and expert on charitable giving, used to be skeptical of the effectiveness of “no strings attached” cash transfers to the help the poor. Now he is an advocate of basic income, speaking at local events to promote the efforts of the...
I see no plan: Basic income as purchasing power
Purchasing Power injection, Basic Income, should replace “labour” as the motor and regulator of our economic system.
Marcus Brancaglione, “Renda Básica Universal já não é mais um assunto tão maldito assim [Basic Income is not an issue so damned anymore]”
The under title of this article is: “Not in Quatinga Velho, not in all places in the world. Except one: here in Brazil”. Marcus opens the article exposing the partiality of Brazilian media, who stubbornly refuse to refer the pioneering basic income experience at...
VIDEO: Ray Kurzweil on Universal Basic Income
The think tank Singularity University has published a short video in which famed futurist Ray Kurzweil addresses the question “Is universal basic income a good idea?”
ALASKA, US: Amount of 2016 Permanent Fund Dividend to be $1022
The amount of this year’s Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend was announced by the Governor on Friday, September 23: every Alaskan will receive $1,022, less than half the amount of last year’s dividend.
PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC: Guy Standing TEDx Talk (Oct 30)
BIEN co-founder and honorary co-president Guy Standing will be among the speakers at a TEDx event in Prague on October 30.
MEXICO: Mexico City Constitution may include Basic Income
A Constituent Assembly of Mexico City is currently developing the city’s first constitution. A proposal for the constitution, currently under deliberation, includes an article specifying a right to a basic income to secure a dignified life.
CANADA: Basic Income Petition Gathers Over 20,000 Signatures
The Canadian Initiative for Basic Income has created an online petition asking Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and members of the Canadian Parliament to “implement a basic income program for eligible Canadians in a timely manner”. As of Monday, September 26, the petition has gathered nearly 22,000 signatures.
US: Results of Third Basic Income Create-a-thon
The third US Basic Income Create-a-thon took place in New Orleans, Louisiana from September 9 to 11. The event was organized and hosted by Scott Santens, and attended by two members of BIEN’s Executive Committee: Karl Widerquist (co-chair) and Kate McFarland (news editor).