by Josh Martin | Aug 19, 2014 | Research
Abstract:
“Basic income is a radical idea which has gained more attention in many countries in recent years, as traditional welfare states are having trouble solving the problems they were created to solve. Basic income promises to solve many of these problems in an effective and simple way. The purpose of this thesis is to study basic income in a way which can supplement the existing literature, and make it relevant in a Norwegian perspective. Hopefully this can contribute towards placing basic income on the political agenda and in the public debate. A large amount of literature is written on basic income, but by comparing the arguments used to promote a basic income with empirical data from previously implemented social policy in Norway, I hope to contribute towards an area which is not well covered.
To do this I identify the arguments used to promote a basic income, and compare them to the arguments used to promote other universal social policy in Norway at the time they were introduced. The empirical cases of the universal child benefit and the universal old age pension in Norway has been chosen, because they resemble a basic income in many ways. The study is of a qualitative nature, and the method of document analysis is used to conduct the study. The data material for basic income is mainly scholarly literature. The data materials used for the analysis of the child benefit scheme and the old age pension are government documents, mainly preparatory work for new laws, legal propositions put forward in parliament, white papers, and transcripts of debates in parliament.
This study finds that there are many similarities between the three social policies studied in this thesis. Most clearly the arguments are similar in two areas: arguments related to economic and administrative considerations, and arguments related to poverty and social justice. The main differences are related to arguments related to freedom and justice, and arguments related to feminist, green and post-productive considerations.”
Christian Siegwart Petersen, “Money for nothing? Arguments for basic income, universal pensions and universal child benefits in Norway”, University of Bergen, 2 June 2014.
by Josh Martin | Feb 13, 2014 | Research
[Josh Martin]
This article contains four detailed responses to an article written by Chris Armstrong about Sovereign Wealth Funds and global justice. The responses are by Oliviero Angeli, Andreas Follesdal, Angela Cummine, and Paul Segal. Some of the discussion involves the possibility of distributing oil revenue in the form of a dividend basic income guarantee.
The Editors, “Norway’s Sovereign Wealth Fund and Global Justice: An Exchange,” Ethics & International Affairs, January 24, 2014.
Photo credit: Alis Leonte / Shutterstock.com
by Karl Widerquist | Oct 27, 2013 | Research
Guy Standing
Guy Standing, honorary co-president of BIEN and Professor of Development Studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London, will be taking part in a debate on basic income at the Salone dell’Editoria Sociale book fair in Rome. The event will take place on Saturday 2 November 2013 at 6.15pm to 8pm at the Porta Futura, Via Galvani 108 (Testaccio), Rome. Click here for more details.
On Monday 4 November, Standing will talk about basic income to the Bergen Students Society. The event will take place at 6pm at the Akademiske Kvarter, Olav Kyrres gate 49, 5015 Bergen. For more information please click here.
Standing will then speak at two venues in Helsinki on issues related to the precariat, identified in his 2011 book The Precariat: The New Dangerous Class, including why the precariat needs a basic income. On Wednesday 6 November he will give a keynote address to the 2013 Finnish Conference on Youth Studies entitled “Generations, Economy and Equity”. The conference will take place from 10am to 6pm at the House of Science and Letters, Kirkkokatu 6, Helsinki. Click here for more information.
On Thursday 7 November he will give a guest lecture at 2pm at Aalto University, Arkadia building, Lapuankatu 6, Helsinki, lecture room AE-127. For more information click here.
Warwick PPE Forum: All Work and No Pay in 2013
On Saturday 9 November Standing will be one of the speakers at the 2013 Forum organized by the Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) Society of Warwick University. The title of the forum is “All Work and No Pay in 2013: The Automation of the Global Economy”, and will address, inter alia, how technological progress can be used for the benefit of all rather than just an elite. The Forum will take place at 2pm to 6pm at the Arts Centre, Warwick University, Coventry CV4 7AL. For more information and to buy tickets, click here.
On Wednesday 13 November, Standing will give a seminar on “Basic Income in India: Evaluating a Pilot Scheme” at the India Institute, King’s College, University of London, Strand, WC2R 2LS. The seminar, based on the results of an unconditional cash transfer pilot scheme in a number of Indian villages, will be held from 5pm to 7pm. Click here for more information.
by Yannick Vanderborght | Aug 8, 2013 | Research
Uncut sheet of 200-kroner notes -Photo: Katrine Lunke/Norges Bank
This article argues that Norway should introduce a basic income, and considers the Alaska model as a financing strategy.
Brady, Michael, “Basic income in Norway?” The Foreigner: Norwegian News In English, Sunday, 26th May, 2013
by Yannick Vanderborght | Jan 19, 2013 | News
Borgerlonn-BIEN Norge was founded on October 12, 2012 to promote basic income in Norway. The organization’s main purpose is to inform the Norwegian population on universal, unconditional basic income guarantee (BIG) in hopes of getting BIG on the political agenda. The organization will promote BIG for all Norwegian citizens and one that is large enough to cover all necessary living expenses.
- Borgerlonn-BIEN Norge has already made news or organized events in Norway:
- October 19: The news magazine, NY TID, ran a story about the startup of the organization.
- November 2: Borgerlonn-BIEN Norge organized a lecture on BIG at a Globalization Conference.
- November 12: Network for Social Entrepreneurship invited Borgerlonn-BIEN Norge to a dialogue in Parliament.
- November 24: Borgerlonn-BIEN Norge organized a lecture at the Romsas volunteer center for “Free Philosophical Forum” on BIG in a green perspective.
- December 5: Borgerlonn-BIEN Norge gave a brief introduction to BIG at a “Green Drinks” at Lillehammer.
- December 9: Organizers of Borgerlonn-BIEN Norge were interviewed in NA24. According to the editor, it was read 63,370 times within a few days.
- December 13. Borgerlonn-BIEN Norge had a lecture at “Litteraturhuset”. The title of the lecture was “BIG – In a green perspective.”
In the coming year Borgerlonn-BIEN Norge hopes to get BIG on the agenda for the Norwegian parliamentary elections scheduled for September 9th, 2013. Otherwise Borgerlonn-BIEN Norge will continue to organized lectures and workshops on BIG.
The board of Borgerlonn-BIEN Norge, from left: Ole A. Seifert, Ali Reza Nouri, Lexander Wist, Sjur C. Papazian, Espen X. Leinaes, Anja Askeland (Chair) and Grete Antona Nilsen (Vice Chair).
