by Kate McFarland | May 20, 2016 | News
Inspired by the popular initiative for a basic income in Switzerland — where citizens will vote on a basic income on the 5th of June — the group Omnibus for Direct Democracy has joined forces with several basic income advocacy groups to launch a campaign for a basic income referendum in Germany.
An important difference between the two countries, however, is that Germany does not currently permit referendums at the federal level. The main goal of Omnibus for Direct Democracy is to reform the German democratic system so that citizens can introduce and vote on national referendums — as reflected in its slogan, “Wir wollen abstimmen” (“We want to vote”).
“The idea to combine the demand for the introduction of plebiscite with the demand for a basic income. Both demands share the same idea of man and trust in fellow citizens” explains Reimund Acker of Netzwerk Grundeinkommen (BIEN Germany).
More specifically, the campaign aims to collect 100,000 signatures on a petition demanding the right of referendum so that the German people can have the opportunity to vote on a basic income. The petition is to be presented to the German parliament on May 30.
As of May 20, the petition has obtained over 90,000 signatures.
In addition to Netzwerk Grundeinkommen, the Berlin basic income group Bürgerinitiative bedingungsloses Grundeinkommen e.V., Michael Bohmeyer‘s crowdfunding initiative Mein Grundeinkommen, and Götz W. Werner’s Unternimm die Zukunf all support the campaign.
The Omnibus in Bern, Switzerland.
Since March 18, when the campaign was launched, activists have made use of Omnibus for Direct Democracy’s iconic double-decker bus to spread information and publicity throughout Germany. The OMNIBUS visits about 100 cities per year to educate the public about direct democracy. Now it raises awareness of basic income as well.
The OMNIBUS is currently making its way to Bern, Switzerland, where it will be loaded with informational pamphlets from the Swiss popular initiative for a basic income. These pamphlets will be delivered to parliament along with the petition signatures at the end of the month.
On May 29 — the day before the pamphlet and signatures are to be delivered at the Reichstag building — the largest poster in the world will be brought to Berlin, where it will cover the Straße des 17. Juni, a maj
or street in the center of the city. This record-breaking poster, created by Swiss basic income activists, asks “What would you do if your income were taken care of?”
The presentation of the poster will be followed by a party featuring talks, music, and food and drink.
For news and updates, see the official website of the campaign: www.wirwollenabstimmen.de (german)
Omnibus featured image photo credit: OMNIBUS für Direkte Demokratie gGmbH.
Thanks to my supporters on Patreon. (Click the link to see how you too can support my work for Basic Income News.)
by Karl Widerquist | May 19, 2016 | News
Only days ahead of the Swiss referendum on basic income we take on the very same topic. A guaranteed basic income for every citizen: The idea sounds alluring, especially if it would replace the hotchpotch social security systems around Europe. Basic income is currently reliving somewhat of a renaissance in Europe, with the Finnish government implementing its first experimental basic income scheme and crowdfunders testing the concept in Berlin.
Would a basic income increase the number of citizens relying on government support, will it spur or lessen creativity and entrepreneurship? Will it make us more or less productive? Can the welfare state take it? It is all in the basic income model you choose and that is why we are gathering an exciting panel to talk about whether we should consider basic income a feature of paradise or of purgatory.
Date and time: 2 June 2016, 12:00-14:00
Venue: Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom, Avenue de Cortenbergh
71, 1000 Brussels
SPEAKERS:
MICHAEL BOHMEYER
Head of Crowdfunding, “Mein Grundeinkommen”
FABIAN DISSELBECK
Researcher, Liberal Institute, Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom
ROLAND DUCHÂTELET
Businessman und Verfechter des Grundeinkommens
ANTERO KIVINIEMI
Senior Specialist, Finnish Permanent Representation to the EU
MODERATION:
Niklaus Nusplinger
NZZ Correspondent, Brussels
Registration by 1 June 2016: click here.
Registrants will be forwarded to a Google Drive sheet. Should
anyone wish to register with the organizers directly send an email to
register.brussels@fnst.org. Photographs will be taken at the event for
use on the FNF website, social media, in the press, FNF marketing
materials, and other publications. By entering this event, attendees consent
to FNF photographing and using their image and likeness.
Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom
European and Transatlantic Dialogue
Avenue de Cortenbergh 71
B – 1000 Brussels
T: +32 2 282 09 42
F: +32 2 282 09 31
assist@fnst.org
by Kate McFarland | May 13, 2016 | News
Switzerland’s Grundeinkommen für dich (“Basic income for you”) is about to award the country’s first crowdfunded basic income.
The group recently reached (and indeed exceeded) its fundraising goal of 30,000 Swiss francs, and a drawing for the winner will take place on May 17, 2016. One randomly selected individual will then received 2,500 francs per month for the next year. Registration for the raffle is still open at the time of this writing.
A video promoting the project is viewable on YouTube (in German). In it, representatives of Grundeinkommen für dich ask passersby whether they believe people would stop working with a basic income, and what they personally would do if they were guaranteed a basic income.
Grundeinkommen für dich‘s raffle comes just two weeks before the drawing for the first basic income raffle in the United States, to be held in San Francisco on May 31, and one day before the next raffle by Germany’s Mein Grundeinkommen. Founded by entrepreneur Michael Bohmeyer in 2014, Mein Grundeinkommen has already given away dozens of crowdfunded basic incomes in Germany, and has served as an inspiration and model for the younger projects in the United States and Switzerland.
After next Tuesday’s raffle, Grundeinkommen für dich plans to continue its fundraising efforts for future basic income giveaways. As recently mentioned on its website, the next goal is to give away a second basic income on June 5 — the same day that the Swiss people go to the polls to vote on a basic income for all.
Image Credit: Alberto Veronese
Thanks to my supporters on Patreon. (Click the link to see how you too can support my work for Basic Income News.)
by Kate McFarland | May 2, 2016 | News
Earlier this year, Basic Income News reported on the activities of the San Francisco-based My Basic Income team, which successfully crowdfunded a $15,000 no-strings-attached basic income to be awarded to one lucky individual in a raffle.
My Basic Income has now announced that the drawing will take place on May 31 (the following is a press release from the group):
SAN FRANCISCO GROUP IS GIVING AWAY $15,000 TO PROMOTE BASIC INCOME
America’s first crowdfunded Basic Income sweepstakes has launched in San Francisco. On May 31st, the “My Basic Income” team will hold a random drawing to decide who will receive $1,250/month for one year, with no qualifying conditions or strings attached. The goal of the project is to promote and discuss the idea of Universal Basic Income (UBI), and find out how the payment affects people’s lives.
The drawing at www.mybasicincome.org is still open and free for anyone to sign up. Entrants are asked to answer the question “What would you do with your life if your income was guaranteed?” Initial funds for the project were raised on the Indiegogo platform, and the group is now building ongoing support through Patreon. The group will host an event at 111 Minna in San Francisco, though attendance is not required to win.
The SF team was founded at the first Basic Income Create-A-Thon, an event in November 2015 attended by over 80 people. There they were coached by Michael Bohmeyer, a German entrepreneur who created a similar project and has successfully crowdfunded 39 basic incomes so far. The Basic Income concept has grown exponentially in the last year, beginning with a strong internet presence, and several European countries are now conducting pilot experiments. It has recently begun to appear in mainstream news.
Founder Cameron Ottens says “With the automation revolution in full swing, it’s time that we rethink our safety net. Basic Income can give all people the security and resources to innovate and take on more meaningful work.” Historically, variations on the idea of guaranteed income have been promoted both by Martin Luther King Jr. and Milton Friedman for the goals of eliminating poverty and reducing inefficient and dehumanizing government means-testing among many, many others. This cross-partisan support has led Scott Santens, UBI blogger and activist, to coin the phrase “Basic Income isn’t left or right – it’s forward!”
Press Release from My Basic Income
Thanks to my supporters on Patreon. (Click the link to see how you too can support my work for Basic Income News.)
by Will Wachtmeister | Jan 28, 2016 | News
America’s first crowdfunded basic income campaign, created and managed by the San Francisco-based My Basic Income team, has hit its initial $15,000 crowdfunding goal, and is now preparing to raffle off a no-strings-attached Basic Income. In early spring, the team will hold a random drawing to decide who will receive $1,250/month for an entire year. The overall goal of the project, which is the first of its kind in the United States, is to involve people in the UBI movement.
“We had a real snowball effect, doubling on the last day,” said team member Gregory Tippett. “We had a huge push in the last week, writing and calling everyone we knew. The UBI community really came together to make this happen with both large and small donations, and shares on Facebook, Twitter, etc. It was exhilarating to feel so much support – for a while, the number on my phone read ‘$14,997’ while I ran around hugging everyone.”
It’s your life: The My Basic Income initiative asks participants what they would do with $1,250 a month.
The raffle at www.mybasicincome.org remains open, and is free for anyone who wants to sign up. Entrants are asked to answer the question: What would you do with your life if your income was guaranteed?
The initiative was launched at the first Basic Income Create-A-Thon, an event held in San Francisco in November 2015, which attracted 80 participants. At the event, the team received coaching from Michael Bohmeyer, the entrepreneur who created a similar project in Germany called Mein Grundeinkommen. Like Mein Grundeinkommen, My Basic Income is designed to generate personal stories to help people related the UBI concept to their own lives. Funds for My Basic Income are being raised on the Indiegogo platform.
The all-volunteer team, who describe the project as a “labor of love”, has released a video thanking their supporters. “It’s sort of like having a band,” says Tippett, “we rehearse weekly, work on our new material in our free time, and are setting up shows to share it.”
At present, the four-strong My Basic Income team is also building a network to raise additional funds in order to turn initiatives like the upcoming raffle into an ongoing experiment. The team is at the same time enhancing its technical and legal infrastructure, and working on developing outreach events and a format for supporters to easily share their stories on social media. They are also looking for pro bono contributions, especially from lawyers with expertise in US/California non-profits and charities.
To donate, get involved or discuss pro bono work visit this page.
Further information:
The My Basic Income project, Campaign video. youtube.com, accessed 27 January 2016
The My Basic Income project, Thank you video. youtube.com, accessed 27 January 2016
Will Wachtmeister, “UNITED STATES: Big push as America’s first crowdfunded basic income project approaches first milestone.” Basic Income News, 12 January 2016
Will Wachtmeister, “UNITED STATES: Successful launch for America’s first crowdfunded basic income project.” Basic Income News, 23 November 2015
Mein Grundeinkommen, Homepage. Accessed 27 January 2015
Basic Income Create-A-Thon, San Francisco event (November 13-15, 2015) homepage. Accessed 27 January 2016
