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
Noah Smith, "Wage subsidies"
[Craig Axford] Are wage subsidies a viable alternative to both raising the minimum wage and the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)? This author thinks they might be. Noah Smith, "Wage subsidies", Noahpinion, December 7, 2013
Malcolm Torry, Money for Everyone: Why we need a Citizen’s Income
Malcolm Torry, Money for Everyone: Why we need a Citizen’s Income, Policy Press, 2013, xiv + 300 pp, 1 44731 125 6, pbk, £24.99, 1 44731 124 9, hbk, £70 Malcolm Torry delivers a blockbuster argument in favour of a Citizen’s Income to wholly or partially replace...
Carol Goar “‘Basic annual income’ loaded with pitfalls”
SUMMARY: Carol Goar argues that by endorsing a basic annual income, delegates of the Liberal Party of Canada have forced their leader Justin Trudeau to choose between social justice and fiscal rectitude. Carol Goar “‘Basic annual income’ loaded with pitfalls.” The...
Bart de Baan, “Hoe bevrijdend is de ‘eis’ van een onvoorwaardelijk basisinkomen? [A Leftist critique on Basic Income]”
This essay praises some aspects of basic income, but argues that the proposal has disadvantages from the leftist point of view, including that it doesn’t move toward a leftist vision and that it is “nationalism in disguise.” Language: Original in Dutch. Translated...
Video: "Should the Basic Income Become a New Human Right? This Video Explains What It is in 3 Minutes"
[Craig Axford] This short video from the early days of the basic income signature gathering campaign within the EU provides an excellent overview of the basic income idea. Video: Dani, "Should the Basic Income Become a New Human Right? This Video Explains What It is...
Obey, "Universal Basic Income – A Swiss case study"
[Craig Axford] Obey, "Universal Basic Income - A Swiss case study", My FDL, December 13, 2013
Video: "Not Enough Money for a Living Income?"
Andrew MacLeod, "Eighteen Ways to Shrink Inequality"
[Craig Axford] There are a number of ways to successfully deal with the issue of inequality, and they are not mutually exclusive. Among them, a guaranteed livable income, which comes in as recommendation number 8 in this article. Andrew MacLeod, "Eighteen Ways to...
GERMANY: Basic Income proponent Wolfgang Strengmann-Kuhn returns to the German parliament
[Michael Millar] At the end of January Wolfgang Strengmann-Kuhn regained a place in the German parliament with the Green Party. He had served as member of parliament from 2008 until 2013, but this year he took over from Priska Hinz, an opponent of Basic Income. A key...
Journal Pioneer staff, "EI manipulation further cements need for basic income guarantee – Redmond"
[Craig Axford] Canadian government changes to Employment Insurance (EI) program make a guaranteed income more attractive to some on Prince Edward Island. Journal Pioneer staff, "EI manipulation further cements need for basic income guarantee - Redmond", The Journal...
Shamus Khan, “The marriage of poverty and inequality.”
SUMMARY: This article focuses on poverty and inequality, discussing how poverty puts people in a condition in which they cannot make meaningful choices. “Instead, we might look to policies like a guaranteed basic income or a negative income tax, in which we give...
Shaun Loney, "Minimum income can end poverty"
[Craig Axford] A guaranteed annual income targeting the 100,000 citizens of Manitoba that are currently living below the after tax low-income cutoff would cost about $1.2 billion. According to this article, with a willing federal partner the province that was home to...