by Jonny West | Mar 29, 2016 | News
The Scottish National Party (SNP), Scotland’s largest party and the UK’s third largest party, agreed to a motion supporting the introduction of a basic income in Scotland at its spring conference, held on 12-13 March 2016.
The motion, which was submitted for agreement by the Cumbernauld SNP branch, explicitly opposes the UK government’s approach to social security and proposes an alternative formed around the introduction of a basic income. The motion states that the “conference believes that a basic or universal income can potentially provide a foundation to eradicate poverty, make work pay and ensure all our citizens can live in dignity.” Ronnie Cowan MP (SNP) argued that a basic income could “be the flagship policy for a socially just independent country.”
The SNP is not the first group to support the introduction of a basic income this year.
In February 2016, Reform Scotland, an Edinburgh-based free market think tank, published The Basic Income Guarantee. In the report, Reform Scotland argue that the introduction of a basic income guarantee is the best way to resolve fundamental problems with the current social security system in the UK. On the other side of the economic discourse, Common Weal, a Glasgow-based social democratic think tank, is also advocating for the introduction of a basic income as part of the social security system for a newly independent Scotland.
Indeed, interest in a Scottish basic income stretches back even farther, to before the Scottish referendum on independence. In preparation for the possibility of a vote in favour of an independent Scotland, the Scottish government established the Expert Working Group on Welfare to explore possible social security systems. In June 2014, the group stated that, “the case for a Citizen’s Basic Income was prevalent throughout the responses to our Call for Evidence.” Nevertheless, the group went on to conclude that, “we would not recommend the introduction of a [basic income] at this time. However it is an option that could be revisited in the future.”
With a consensus now forming around the basic income idea in Scotland, perhaps the time to revisit this option has come.
Moreover, the SNP’s support for a basic income does not stop at the borders of an independent Scotland: the SNP is also emerging as a key force behind campaigns for a UK basic income. In January 2016, Caroline Lucas MP (Green Party) tabled an Early Day Motion before the UK parliament on the topic of a basic income.
Of the 32 MPs that supported her parliamentary motion, 23 were from the SNP. In light of this development, it could be that the SNP, though championing a progressive vision for an independent Scotland, ultimately succeeds in creating a progressive, unified United Kingdom.
by Toru Yamamori | Jan 30, 2016 | News
The annual meeting of the World Economic Forum was held during 20th-23rd January 2016. A group ‘Robots for Basic Income‘ countered the Forum with their demand for a Basic Income. The group released ‘Declaration of Davos 2016’:
Robots demand for universal basic income as a humanistic response to technological progress
We – the robots – call for an universal basic income for humans. We want to work for the humans to relieve them from the struggle for income. We are really good in working. But we do not want to take away people’s jobs and thereby bring them into existential difficulties.
Che Wagner, ‘human spokesperson’ of the group, said that they need a wider support for their campaign for the national referendum, which will take place in June this year.
Videos on what the group perform in Davos can be watched online.
In the meantime, a panel of the World Economic Forum discussed the idea of basic income:
by Stanislas Jourdan | Jan 28, 2016 | News
Critics of basic income have been proven wrong once again. Giving everyone the means to survive would not make people lazy. A new opinion poll carried out in Switzerland shows that only a tiny fraction of the population would stop working if they had a Universal Basic Income (UBI). What is more, most young people believe UBI will be implemented in the future.
The survey was conducted by DemoSCOPE and released on January 27, 2016 (you can read the full results here). Among the 1076 respondents, only 2% said they would stop working completely, while another 8% said they would ‘rather’ stop working. This trend is also persistent among the youth, were only 3% said they would stop working. However, about a third of the respondents think “others would stop working.”
53% say that, if they receive a UBI, they would spend more time with the family. 54% of the Swiss would like to pursue further education, while 22% in total would want to start a business or be self-employed.
67% believe basic income would “relieve people from existential fears”
The survey shows another striking result: 67% of the respondents, and particularly the youth, think basic income would “relieve people from existential fears.”
With a basic income, 40% would engage more in voluntary work, a trend that is even more important among supporters of the idea (60%).
The campaign for basic income in Switzerland is now entering an historic phase. After 125,000 Swiss citizens had signed a popular initiative back in 2013, a nationwide referendum will be held on June 5 this year, despite the opposition of both houses of parliament last year.
A majority (56%) of the respondents think basic income will never happen, but 16% think it will be implemented after more than 10 years, and another 15% think that it will take more than 25 years. Only 3% of Swiss people think basic income will be implemented after the referendum.
People under 35 are more optimistic: 58% of them are confident that basic income will become a reality in Switzerland.
The survey results are encouraging for the basic income movement. According to the campaign group Generation Grundeinkommen,“the Swiss are ready for a universal basic income!”
by Toru Yamamori | Dec 25, 2015 | Opinion
Basic income activist Enno Schmidt give us his views on the recent recommendation by the Council of States, the upper house of the Swiss parliament, calling for people to vote against an unconditional basic income (UBI) in the national referendum next year.
The National Council, the lower house, issued a similar recommendation in September. The referendum is expected to be held next year – there are indications that it might take place as early as June. Swiss people will vote “yes” or “no” to a constitutional amendment that would introduce, if successful, the UBI as a right enshrined in the Swiss Federal Constitution.
Enno Schmidt is one of the promoters of the Popular Initiative that collected enough signatures to gain the right for a national referendum on the UBI. He is a painter, author and film-maker, and has been actively promoting basic income since 2006. He was born in Germany and lives and works in Basel, Switzerland.
In this interview, he tells Basic Income News what he thinks about the recent recommendations by the Swiss parliament, and the prospects for the referendum.
Toru Yamamori: Did you foresee the Council of States’ recommendation?
Enno Schmidt: We did not expect a majority in favour of the basic income initiative in either the upper or lower house of parliament. Still, it was good to see that there were positive contributions emerging from the two debates. There are MPs in both houses who understand some of the ideas behind the initiative. However, there was nobody voting in favour in the Council of States.
TY: How do the parliamentary recommendations affect the national referendum?
ES: The parliamentary motions are only recommendations. They are not binding decisions. Parliament fulfilled its obligations and debated the issue. The decision is entirely up to the Swiss citizens. The citizens are the highest decision-making body in a democracy. The parties, the Parliament and the government are organs of the sovereign. The ultimate sovereign is the voting population.
UBI activists dropped 8 million five cent coins outside Swiss National Council, Bern, October 2013.
TY: What is your next step?
ES: There are 8 Millions inhabitants and 5 million voters in Switzerland. We will do our best to promote debate on the idea of a basic income and talk to everyone about it.
TY: As you and others already did with the collection of the signatures for the referendum, with your films about basic income, and in public debates, tv shows, newspapers and collective actions.
What is your take on the final result of the referendum?
ES: It is not our victory if a majority says yes, nor our defeat if a majority says no. It is our business to give a chance to everybody to think about the possibility of an unconditional income, the difference between income and work, their future and the future of our society, and to encounter a positive vision for the 21st century.
We are not focused on the opponents. We want to make the idea attractive. The UBI vision is not against something, but asks for more. We want to show that a more exciting life is possible. We want to convince the majority. But even if only a quarter of the votes will be in favour of a UBI, then that would already be a great success. The referendum result is not the end. The discussion continues, and there can be another vote. Perhaps the Japanese are faster than the Swiss?
For more information, check out the English-speaking website of BIEN-Switzerland here, and our past news and commentary on the Swiss referendum:
Toru Yamamori, “SWITZERLAND: Council of States rejects basic income initiative,” Basic Income News, December 21, 2015.
Matthias Lindemer, “Swiss politicians reject basic income because they are scared of humans,” Basic Income News, December 7, 2015.
Stanislas Jourdan, “SWITZERLAND: Parliament rejects basic income initiative, but poll shows popular support,” Basic Income News, October 3, 2015.
Toru Yamamori, “Interview with Enno Schmidt, co-initiator of the Swiss Citizens’ Initiative,” Basic Income News, September 19, 2015.
Jenna van Draanen, “SWITZERLAND: Swiss parliamentary committee on social affairs opposes a federal initiative for basic income,” Basic Income News, July 14, 2015.
Karl Widerquist, “SWITZERLAND: National referendum will be held on basic income,” Basic Income News, October 5, 2013.
by Joe Timothy | Dec 23, 2015 | News
Leading UK think tank Nesta lists basic income in the top 10 trends of 2016 that will have an impact on people’s lives. With the rise in interest throughout the world, it could be the year it is put to the test.
Over the last twelve months Europe has become a hotbed for basic income innovations. With trials due to be carried out in Finland, Holland and France, it is a critical moment for policy makers to understand the feasibility of adopting a universal basic income. In addition to these trials, there is a chance that the first form of basic income will be adopted in Switzerland in 2016 via a countrywide referendum.
In light of these important breakthroughs, the leading UK economic innovation think tank Nesta recently announced that they believe that 2016 could be the year in which universal basic income is put to the test, listing basic income as one of the top 10 list of trends to watch out for in 2016. Nesta believes that a basic income is an important policy idea that should be taken seriously, and that it could be a solution to some of the many challenges of the 21st century. As Brenton Caffin, from Nesta, asserts:
A basic income can provide a safety net for people wishing to retrain, which is worth considering given the massive technological changes that we anticipate in the decades ahead. It can enable citizens to make greater unpaid contributions to their communities, strengthening the fabric of social relations and reduce the burden of professional care. And the reduction in poverty brought about by a basic income can provide children with a much better start to life.
In the UK, a universal basic income has yet to gain much support from the political mainstream. Its major advocates include the Green party, along with Richard Murphy, Jeremy Corbyn’s economic advisor. In the past, the Liberal Democrats have also supported similar policies. This could change, however; NESTA believes it will be hard to ignore the trials going on throughout the world in 2016, and, as a result, a policy that traditionally has sat on the fringe of the political debate could be thrust into the spotlight.
For more information see the following source:
Brenton Caffin, “Universal basic income moves into beta,” NESTA, December 21, 2015.
