A Basic Income is a periodic cash payment unconditionally delivered to all on an individual basis, without means-test or work requirement.

UBIdata: Data for Basic Income Research and Policy

At its most recent congress, BIEN launched UBIdata, an innovative new tool with a mission to match reliable information about basic income with a rapidly growing global user base of individuals and organisations eager to learn more. UBIdata gathers, processes and...

Rentier Capitalism, the Precariat and Basic Income for China

Throughout history, capitalism has evolved, changing character and changing the class structure defining each era. The changes in the 20th century can be understood by reference to what Karl Polanyi called the Great Transformation. Briefly, in his formulation, in the 19th century, mainly in Britain, there was an initial period in the evolution of industrial capitalism that was dominated by financial capital, in which old systems of distribution, regulation and social protection were dismantled, in what we would call the pursuit of a ‘free market economy’. 

Taiwan Makes History with Universal Cash Payment Plan

Taiwan is making history by sending out a one-time universal cash payment of $6,000 New Taiwan dollars (NTD) to every citizen “young and old.” This is the first time the country has implemented such a policy, and it comes as a result of excess tax revenue of $450...

Join Hands & Hearts With BIEN

A convergence of various circumstances in the 21st century has made a Basic Income policyan achievable goal. Discussions and policy debates about Basic Income are taking place in countries across the world. We see this as an incredible opportunity for BIEN to...

This South Korean Presidential Election is Vital

There are rare moments when a combination of threatening circumstances leads to a wonderful transformation that only a short time before would have been unimaginable. This year may be such a moment. The Republic of Korea could set an example to the world that would...

The Royal Society of Arts Explains: [2 minutes]

YouTube player

BIEN Congresses

The 24th BIEN CONGRESS in Maricá & Niterói – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – 27-29 August 2025

Call for Papers Announcement: Nov. 2024

Linkedin, Instagram, X  – biencongress25 (at) gmail [dot] com

BIEN2024 was August 29–31 (Pictures and more coming soon)


Basic Income

A Basic Income is a periodic cash payment unconditionally delivered to all on an individual basis, without means-test or work requirement. Read more


Pitch a Story

To pitch a story, please click here.


BIEN Monthly Bulletin Signup

Recent News, Opinion, and Research

Why UBI should go global

Why UBI should go global

  New research from World Basic Income finds that more than half of the world’s people live in countries where UBI could reach only $5 to $18 per person per month on average, as a result of global inequality and national income constraints. To support UBI...

read more
Oxford Union votes against introducing UBI

Oxford Union votes against introducing UBI

On 29th April 2021 the prestigious Oxford Union Society hosted a panel of students, activists, politicians and scholars to debate the motion ‘This House Would Introduce a Universal Basic Income’. The debate began with the majority (68%) voting in favour of introducing...

read more
Taiwan holds first online basic income summit

Taiwan holds first online basic income summit

After over a year of avoiding significant local COVID outbreaks, Taiwan experienced a scare in May with hundreds of cases emerging. This brought the idea of universal cash payments to the forefront of Taiwan’s political debate as millions of jobs were destabilized...

read more
A comprehensive history of Basic Income

A comprehensive history of Basic Income

A comprehensive history of Basic Income is to be published this month. The publisher says this about the book:  Presenting a truly comprehensive history of Basic Income, Malcolm Torry explores the evolution of the concept of a regular unconditional income for...

read more

The Essential Reason I Support UBI

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This article is a draft of the first chapter of the book I'm working on: Universal Basic Income: Essential Knowledge. It can also be thought of as a reply to Bitch Bastardly's guest article from last week. Comments welcome: Karl@widerquist.com....

read more