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]

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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


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Recent News, Opinion, and Research

BIEN’s new website

BIEN has a new website. We hope you like it. It's designed to be easy to navigate. The main menu has just three items: 'Home', 'About Basic Income', and 'Frequently asked questions'. Anyone wanting more information can click the 'news', 'opinion', 'research',...

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The United States, Basic Income, and Covid

The United States, Basic Income, and Covid

The second in a series of zoomcasts has now been published. https://youtu.be/wMVhfSN-Rfs Unprecendented unemployment figures in the United States of America in the wake of COVID-19 require a new type of response - Is Universal Basic Income the answer? Karl Widerquist...

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A new video about Basic Income from Share Ideas

A new video about Basic Income from Share Ideas

Share Ideas has published a new video about Basic Income. https://youtu.be/ttjMC7Diz9s A Basic Income is an unconditional income paid to every individual. It’s as simple as that. It has a number of different names: Citizen’s Income, Basic Income, Citizen’s Basic...

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Obituary: Lieselotte Wohlgenannt

Obituary: Lieselotte Wohlgenannt

Lieselotte Wohlgenannt died in Bregenz (Austria) on the 29th of May 2020. Born in 1931, Lieselotte was one of Europe’s first prominent advocates of basic income. After studying in Bregenz and Paris and spending ten years working for the catholic school network in the...

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Emergency Basic Income in Tuvalu

Emergency Basic Income in Tuvalu

Tuvalu, a country in Polynesia, in the Pacific Ocean, has implemented an Emergency Basic Income for its population of 11,000. Source: Social Protection and Jobs Responses to COVID-19: A Real-Time Review of Country Measures, by Ugo Gentilini (WB), Mohamed Almenfi (WB),...

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Covid-19 and Financial Aid Programmes in Turkey

Covid-19 and Financial Aid Programmes in Turkey

After starting in China, Covid-19 pandemic affected more countries around the world. In Turkey, the first Covid-19 case announced officially on 10th of March 2020. After the first case in short period schools, universities stopped teaching and converted their...

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Basic Income activism in the United States

Basic Income activism in the United States

Michael Howard, Co-ordinator of USBIG, has written an article about increasing Basic Income activism in the United States. Two years ago, if one were to speak of a basic income movement, one might be accused of hyperbole. USBIG was able to muster support for annual...

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