Common Questions About Basic Income

What is a Basic Income?

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

Sometimes called Universal Basic Income, a Citizen’s Income, or a Citizen’s Basic Income, it is not the same as a Minimum Income Guarantee; A Basic Income does not reduce as one earns more. For more information: About Basic Income

Why do we need it?

Because someone’s Basic Income would never be taken away, it would

  • provide a secure financial platform to build on
  • enable the employment market to become more flexible at the same time as enhancing income security
  • give to everyone more choices over the number of hours for which they were employed
  • enable carers to balance their caring and other responsibilities
  • make it easier to start new businesses or to go self-employed, and
  • encourage personal freedom, creativity, and voluntary activity

Because everyone would get a Basic Income, it would

  • create social cohesion, and
  • carry no stigma

Because the Basic Income would never be withdrawn, it would

  • reduce the poverty trap for low income families, enabling them to lift themselves out of poverty by seeking new skills, better jobs, or additional hours of employment
  • reduce the unemployment trap, so getting a job would always mean additional disposable income

Because Basic Income would be simple and efficient, it would

  • be easy to understand
  • be cheap to administer and easy to automate
  • not be prone to errors or fraud

Many current benefits system are no longer fit for purpose. They assume that everyone has a stable single employment, that household structures don’t change, and that individuals’ circumstances change very rarely. Our lives are no longer like that: and as technology and the employment market continue to change, our benefits systems will become even less appropriate.

In a context of rapid change, the only useful system is a simple one. A Basic Income is as simple as it gets.

For a list of 101 reasons for a Basic Income, see Malcolm Torry’s book, 101 Reasons for a Citizen’s Income.

Why pay money to the rich when they don’t need it?

It is efficient to pay the same level of income to everybody of the same age and then tax it back from those who don’t need it. The alternative is to means-test incomes so that only those who are poor receive them: but that results in complexity, stigma, errors, fraud, and intrusive bureaucratic interference in people’s lives.

Would Basic Income be financially feasible?

Tests for a Citizen’s Basic Income scheme’s financial feasibility might be listed as follows:

  • Revenue neutrality ( – that is, it would be funded by making changes to the current tax and benefits system), or sustainable additional funding should be shown to be feasible
  • Poverty and inequality need to fall
  • Low income households should suffer no significant losses at the point of implementation, and no household should suffer unmanageable losses
  • Income Tax rates should rise by a clearly manageable amount
  • A significant number of households should be released from means-tested benefits

Would people still work?

If by ‘work’ we mean ‘paid employment’, then the answer is yes. In the short to medium term, we are unlikely to see a Basic Income that would be sufficient to live on, so everyone would need additional sources of income. And because Basic Incomes would not be withdrawn as earnings rose, any family taken off means-tested benefits by their Basic Incomes would experience a reduction in withdrawal rates, and would experience more incentive to seek employment, or to start their own business, than they do now.

If by ‘work’ we mean purposeful activity of any kind, then the answer is again yes. By providing a secure layer of income, a Basic Income would enable people to readjust their employment hours in order to undertake additional caring and community work.

Why pay money to people who do nothing?

In many countries we are already paying means-tested benefits to people who do nothing, and the complexity and sanctions associated with those payments demotivate people and can tip their families into poverty. A Basic Income would take a lot of people off means-tested benefits, and so would encourage economic activity. Pilot projects in India and Namibia showed that in countries with less developed economies, and without comprehensive benefit systems, even quite small Basic Incomes increase economic activity among households with the lowest disposable incomes.

Would immigration go up?

As with other benefits, a government would be likely to require a period of legal residence before someone could receive a Basic Income. Because Basic Income would provide everyone with a secure layer of income, and therefore a greater employment incentive than means-tested benefits, anyone coming into the country would be even more likely to contribute to the economy than they are now.

Would wages fall?

Means-tested benefits function as dynamic subsidies – that is, they rise if wages fall, which can encourage wage-cutting. A Basic Income would not rise if wages fell, so employers would experience more resistance if they attempted to cut wages.

Some wages might rise. Because everyone would have a secure financial platform on which to build an income strategy, some workers would be more able to leave undesirable jobs in order to start their own businesses, or to learn new skills and seek new jobs; and workers would be able to spend longer looking for a job that they might want, rather than just any job. Either currently undesirable jobs would have to improve, or wages would have to rise in order to attract workers.

Some wages might fall. Because everyone would have a secure income layer, some people might decide to take a desirable job even if it didn’t pay very much. Wage levels for desirable jobs might therefore fall.

Would a Basic Income threaten the welfare state?

If a revenue neutral Citizen’s Basic Income scheme were to be implemented, then no cuts to public services would be required. The amounts of means-tested benefits received by households would fall, but only because those households were already receiving Basic Incomes. Benefits specifically designed to cover the additional costs of disability, and benefits to cover the differing housing costs in different areas, would continue.

Would a Basic Income cause inflation?

Inflation occurs when the amount of money available to spend is greater than the value of the economy’s productive capacity. In that situation, if the amount of money keeps growing, then each unit of money can buy progressively less, so money loses its value, sometimes rapidly. A Basic Income scheme paid for purely by making changes to the current tax and benefits system would not add to the money supply, so inflation would not occur. If the amount of money available to spend was below the productive capacity of the economy, then a government could create money until the gap was filled, and that new money could be used to pay a Basic Income: but if inflation started to occur, then money creation would have to stop, and new taxes would have to be used to pay for the Basic Income.

Has a Basic Income ever been tried?

Short pilot projects have taken place in Namibia and India, and something like a Basic Income has been implemented by accident in Iran. Experiments with the similar but different Minimum Income Guarantee and Negative Income Tax in the United States and Canada during the 1970s showed useful social outcomes and very little withdrawal from employment. The similarities between the economic effects of a Minimum Income Guarantee and Basic Income would suggest that the results of the Minimum Income Guarantee experiments would be replicated if a Basic Income were to be implemented; and the differences between them mean that the effects are likely to larger for Basic Income than for the 1970s experiments. Basic Income pilot projects and similar experiments continue in the United States, Uganda, Kenya, Spain, and the Netherlands, and experiments are planned for Scotland.


Further reading

More detailed responses to questions can be found in chapter 10 of Malcolm Torry, Why we need a Citizen’s Basic Income: The desirability, feasibility and implementation of an unconditional income, Policy Press, 2018.

Recently published introductions to the subject are as follows:

Louise Haagh, The Case for Universal Basic Income, Polity, 2019

Annie Miller, A Basic Income Handbook, Luath Press, 2017

Guy Standing, Basic Income: And how we can make it happen, Penguin, 2017

Malcolm Torry, Why we need a Citizen’s Basic Income: The desirability, feasibility and implementation of an unconditional income, Policy Press, 2018

For a detailed treatment of feasibility, see Malcolm Torry, The Feasibility of Citizen’s Income, Palgrave Macmillan, 2016

For chapters on many aspects of the Basic Income debate by world experts, see The Palgrave International Handbook of Basic Income, Palgrave, 2019

Affiliated organisations

Become an Affiliate of BIEN

If you are a member of an organization that would like to become an affiliate of BIEN, click here or scroll down to the bottom for the requirements of affiliates and the instructions for requesting affiliation.

BIEN’s Affiliates:

ARGENTINA: Red Argentina de Ingreso Ciudadano

Founded in March 2004

Website: www.ingresociudadano.org.ar

Facebook: Renta Básica Argentina

President: Rubén M. Lo Vuolo
Member of BIEN’s International Advisory Board: Rubén Lo Vuolo
Email: ciepp@ciepp.org.ar

AUSTRALIA: Basic Income Guarantee Australia (BIGA)

Founded in 2002

Website: www.basicincome.qut.edu.au

Facebook: Basic Income Guarantee AustraliaCoordinator: Gregory Marston (g.marston@uq.edu.au)School of Social ScienceFaculty of Humanities and Social SciencesUniversity of QueenslandSt Lucia CampusMichie Building, QLD, Australia 4067

AUSTRIA: Netzwerk Grundeinkommen und sozialer Zusammenhalt – B.I.E.N. Austria

Founded in October 2002

Antonigasse 100, 1180 Wien

Website: www.grundeinkommen.at
Email: info (AT) grundeinkommen.at (please replace “AT” by “@”)

Contact person: Margit Appel (margit.appel@ksoe.at)
Contact person (Media): Markus Blümel (markus.bluemel@ksoe.at)

BELGIUM: Belgian Network for Basic Income

Founded on June 27, 2012

Website: www.basicincome.be

Facebook: Basic Income.be

Contact person: Quentin Fabri
Email: info@basicincome.be

Organizing Committee: Aline Goethals, Pierre-Yves Ryckaert

BRAZIL: Rede Brasileira de Renda Básica de Cidadania

Founded in September 2004

Coordinator: Eduardo Suplicy (eduardo.suplicy@camara.sp.gov.br / rendabasicanobrasil@gmail.com)

CANADA: Basic Income Canada Network / Réseau canadien pour le revenu garanti

Founded in June 2008

New English-language website: basicincomecanada.org
New French-language website: revenudebasecanada.org

Facebook: Basic Income Canada Network

Chairperson: Sheila Regehr

Contact: info@basicincomecanada.org

Mailing address: 1 Valhalla Inn Road, Suite 403, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M9B 1S9

CANADA: Quebec – Revenue de base Quebec (RBQ)

Affiliated in July 2016

Website: revenudebase.quebec
Email: info@revenudebase.quebec

Facebook: Revenue de base Quebec

244, Saint-Olivier, app. 3, Québec G1R 1G3
5445, ave de Gaspé, suite 602, Montréal H2T 3B2

Contact Person: Luc Gosselin

CHINA: BIEN China

Affiliated in July 2016

DENMARK: BIEN Denmark (Borgerlønsbevægelsen)

Founded in January 2000

List of board members: https://basisindkomst.dk/bestyrelse/

Website: basisindkomst.dk

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UbetingetBasisindkomst

Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BIEN.Danmark/

Email: contact@basisindkomst.dk

EUROPE: Unconditional Basic Income Europe (UBI-Europe)

Founded in 2014

Website: www.basicincome-europe.org
Email: contact@ubie.org

Facebook: Basic Income Europe

President: Dániel Fehér

FINLAND: BIEN Finland – Suomen perustuloverkosto

Founded in May 2011, registered in December 2012

Chair: Pekka Elonheimo
Vice-Chair: Johanna Perkiö (johanna.m.perkio@gmail.com)

Tel.: +358 40 5000189
Contact:  perustulo@perustulo.org

FRANCE: Mouvement Français pour un revenu de base

(French Movement for Basic Income)

Founded in 2013

Website: www.revenudebase.info

Facebook: MFRB Revenu de base

Contact person: Nicole Teke (nicole.teke@gmail.com)

GERMANY: Netzwerk Grundeinkommen

Founded in July 2004

Website: www.grundeinkommen.de

Website english: https://www.grundeinkommen.de/english

Website French: https://www.grundeinkommen.de/francais,

Website Polish: https://www.grundeinkommen.de/polski,

Website Italian: https://www.grundeinkommen.de/italiano,

Website Spanish: https://www.grundeinkommen.de/espanol,

Website Portuguese: https://www.grundeinkommen.de/portugues

Email: kontakt@grundeinkommen.de, 

Facebook: Netzwerk Grundeinkommen

Twitter: NetzwerkBGE

Members of board: Jörg Ackermann, Ronald Blaschke *(blaschke[at]grundeinkommen.de), Christiane Danowski *(danowski[at]grundeinkommen.de), Ralf Engelke, Hardy Krampertz, Claudia Laux, Michael Levedag, (* contact persons)

HUNGARY: Első Magyar Feltétel Nélküli Alapjövedelemért Egyesület / The First Hungarian Unconditional Basic Income Association

Founded: May 31, 2011

Affiliated: 2021

Website: https://alapjovedelem.org/

Facebook (EN): https://www.facebook.com/First-Hungarian-Unconditional-Basic-Income-Association-655471314593940

Facebook (EN): https://www.facebook.com/FNA.hu/

Email address: alapjovedelem@alapjovedelem.org

Chair: Györgyi Szentpéteri 

Secretary, Co-ordinator, founder: Evamaria Langer-Dombrady

Postal address: H-2040. Budaörs, Réz utca 8.

ICELAND: BIEN Iceland

Founded: Dec 10, 2016
Contact: Albert Svan albert@piratar.is
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1820421514854251/

INDIA: India Network for Basic Income (INBI)

Website: www.basicincomeindia.weebly.com

Facebook: India Network for Basic Income
+91 789 3033 728

Contact Person: Sarath Davala (sarathdavala@gmail.com)

INDONESIA: Indonesian Basic Income Guarantee Network (IndoBIG)

website: www.indobig.netfacebook page: Basic Income Indonesiatwitter: @BasicIncomeINAemail: indobignetwork@gmail.comfounder & coordinator: Yanu E. Prasetyo ( yanuprasetyo85@gmail.com)

IRELAND: Basic Income Ireland

Founded in March 1995

Website: https://basicincome.ie
Email: info@basicincome.ie
Facebook: facebook.com/BasicIncomeIreland [2]
Twitter: twitter.com/BasicIncomeIRL [3]

Coordinators: Anne B Ryan and John Baker

Member of BIEN’s International Advisory Board: John Baker, Department of Adult and Community Education, NUIM
Maynooth, Co. Kildare, Ireland

ITALY: Bin Italia (Basic Income Network Italy)

Founded in July 2008

Website: https://www.bin-italia.org

Facebook: BIN Italia

President: Luca Santini (luca.santini@bin-italia.org)
Vice President: Rachele Serino (rachele.serino@virgilio.it)
Coordinator and contact person: Sandro Gobetti (sandro.gobetti@bin-italia.org)
Other members and roles of BIN Italia Committee: https://www.bin-italia.org/consiglio_direttivo.php
Email: info@bin-italia.org
Address: BIN Italia Via Filippo De Grenet, 38 – 00128 Rome, Italy
Tel.: Luca Santini: +39 3487752116
Tel.: Sandro Gobetti: +39 3334375476

JAPAN: BIEN Japan

Founded in November 2007

Website: https://tyamamor.doshisha.ac.jp/bienj/bienj_top.html

Coordinator: Shinji Murakami (shinji.murakami [at] staff.kanazawa-u.ac.jp )

MALAWI: Basic Income Malawi Group

Founded: August 2017
Contact: Frank Kamanga kamafrank@gmail.com
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/UniversalBasicIncomeMalawi/

MEXICO: Red Mexicana Ingreso Ciudadano Universal

Founded in April 2008
Website: www.icu.org.mx
Coordinator: Pablo Yanes (ingresociudadano@gmail.com; pyanes2007@gmail.com)
Member of BIEN’s International Advisory Board: Pablo Yanes

NETHERLANDS: Vereniging Basisinkomen

Email: info@basisinkomen.nl
Website: www.basisinkomen.nlFacebook: Vereniging BasisinkomenPresident: Alexander de RooSecretary and contactperson: Adriaan Planken
Galgeveld 10
3705 MB Zeist, Nederland
Tel.: 0031-30-6991721 // 0031-6-22420270

NEW ZEALAND: Basic Income New Zealand Incorporated (BINZ)

Founded on July 22, 2016

Email: binzcontact@gmail.com
Website: www.basicincomenz.net

Facebook: Basic Income New Zealand

NORWAY: Borgerlønn BIEN Norge

Founded in October 2012

Email: post@borgerlonn.no
Website: https://borgerlonn.no

Facebook: Borgerlønn BIEN Norge

Coordinator: Glenn Slotte

PORTUGAL: Rendimento Básico

Founded in March 2013

Website: www.rendimentobasico.pt

Facebook: Rendimento Básico Inconditicional Portugal

Contact person: Roberto Merrill (nrbmerrill@gmail.com)

RUSSIA: Basic Income Russia Tomorrow

Founded in September 2017Email  info@basicincomerussia.orgContact person: Сhairman of the council of movement: Solovyev Alexander (slvvalex@gmail.com)Tel.:  +7 968 648 6600Social media contacts:Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/basicincomerussiaz/Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/basic_income_russia/Twitter:  https://twitter.com/basicincome_rusPinterest:  https://ru.pinterest.com/basicincomerussia/Address:  Tverskaya str., 9, building 7, office 415, Moscow,  Russian Federation, 125009

SCOTLAND: Citizen’s Basic Income Network Scotland (SCIO)

Trustees of Citizen’s Basic Income Network Scotland
15 Morningside Park
EDINBURGH
SCOTLAND
EH10 5HD
Tel: 00 (44) 131 447 3268
Email: anniemillerBI@gmail.com

SLOVENIA: Sekcija za promocijo UTD v Sloveniji

Founded on the 20th of January, 2010

Website: www.zofijini.net

Email: utd.slovenija@gmail.com

Coordinator: Branko Gerlic
Contact persons: Branko Gerlic (branko.gerlic@gmail.com), Dr. Valerija Korosec (valerija_korosec@yahoo.com), Dr. Igor Pribac (suriprib@guest.arnes.si)

Zofijini ljubimci – Drustvo za razvoj humanistike
Ob zeleznici 8
2000 Maribor
Slovenia

SOUTHERN AFRICA: Studies in Poverty and Inequality Institute (SPII)

Founded in 2006

Websites: www.spii.org.za

Facebook: SPII Studies in Poverty and Inequality Institute

Director/Coordinator: Isobel Frye (isobel@spii.org.za)

31 Quinn Street, CIVICUS House
Newtown, Johannesburg
P.O Box 31747, Braamfontein 2017
Johannesburg, South Africa
Tel.: +27 11 833 0161/2
Fax.: +27 11 832 3085

SOUTH KOREA: Basic Income Korean Network (BIKN)

Founded in June 2009

Website: https://basicincomekorea.org/
E-mail: basicincomenet@gmail.com

Facebook: 사무

Representative: Nam-hoon Kang (kangnamhoon@gmail.com)

SPAIN: Red Renta Basica

Founded in February 2001

Website: www.redrentabasica.org

Facebook: Red Renta Básica

President: Daniel Raventós (presidencia@redrentabasica.org)
Member of BIEN’s International Advisory Board: Daniel Raventós
Departament de Teoria Sociològica, Filosofia del Dret i Metodologia de les CCSS
Facultat d’Economia i Empresa
Universitat de Barcelona
Diagonal, 690
08034 Barcelona, Spain

SWITZERLAND: BIEN Switzerland

Founded in September 2002

Website: basicincome.ch

Email: info@bien.ch

BIEN-CH
1200 Geneva

President: Ralph Kundig

TAIWAN

Affiliated in July 2016

Website: ubitaiwan.org

Email: taiwanbasicincome@gmail.com

Chairman: Tyler Prochazka

Executive Committee: Jiakuan Su, Rita Liao

TURKEY: CITIZEN’S BASIC INCOME – TURKEY

Founded in September 2016; affiliated in 2019

Facebook : Vatandaşlık Temel Geliri – VTG

Website : www.vatandasliktemelgeliri.org

Twitter : @TemelGelir _VTG

Instagram : temel_gelir_vtg

Coordinator : Dr. Ali Mutlu KÖYLÜOĞLU

E-Mail : alimutlu.koyluoglu@gmail.com

Mobile Phone (WhatsApp) : +90 – 532 – 314 95 20

UNITED KINGDOM: Citizen’s Basic Income Trust

Founded in 1984 (initially as “Basic Income Research Group”)

Website: www.citizensincome.org

Email: info@citizensincome.org

Director: Malcolm Torry

Citizen’s Basic Income Trust
286 Ivydale Road
London SE15 3DF

Phone: +44 (0) 20 7635 7916

UNITED STATES: U.S. Basic Income Guarantee Network (USBIG)

Founded in December 1999
Website: www.usbig.net
Facebook Page: U.S. Basic Income Guarantee Network
Coordinator: Michael Howard (Michael_Howard@umit.maine.edu)
Members of BIEN’s International Advisory Board: Michael Lewis, Eri Noguchi

WORLD BASIC INCOME

Founded: October 2016
Contact: Laura Bannister  info@worldbasicincome.org.uk
Website: https://www.worldbasicincome.org.uk/

Become an Affiliate of BIEN

BIEN is willing to affiliate organisations with the same aim as itself:

To educate the general public about Basic Income, that is, a periodic cash payment delivered to all on an individual basis, without means test or work requirement; to serve as a link between the individuals and groups committed to, or interested in, Basic Income; to stimulate and disseminate research about Basic Income; and to foster informed public discussion on Basic Income throughout the world.

An affiliated organisation needs to

  • be not-for-profit
  • have regular activities
  • have a constitution with a clear decision-making structure *
  • promote debate on Basic Income, and not only on particular Basic Income schemes or funding methods
  • be focused solely on Basic Income and not committed to any broader programme or wider agenda (even if Basic Income is a central aspect of that agenda)
  • refrain from causing any form of reputational damage to BIEN, and not to be affiliated to any organisation that might cause reputational damage to BIEN
  • welcome the involvement of everyone interested in Basic Income
  • keep in contact with BIEN’s Executive Committee

(* Two methods for selecting the decision-making body are acceptable: selection of new members of the decision-making body by existing members of it, or election of members of the decision-making body by a wider organizational membership.)

To apply to be affiliated to BIEN, an organisation needs to write a letter to the secretary at secretary@basicincome.org explaining how it fits the criteria and providing contact details. BIEN’s Executive Committee will then decide whether to recommend affiliation to the General Assembly. The final decision on affiliation is made by the General Assembly.

Any affiliated organisation that is found not to be adhering to the criteria for affiliation will be discussed by the Executive Committee, which might recommend disaffiliation. Final decisions about disaffiliation are made by the General Assembly.

Congress papers

BIEN 2022, Brisbane

Maria Ozanira da Silva e SilvaTHE “BOLSA FAMÍLIA” PROGRAM AND THE “AUXÍLIO BRASIL” PROGRAM: advances and setbacks in the construction of a Basic Income in Brazil
Fernando FreitasCash transfer with social currency in Brazilian Cities: poverty relief or guaranteed income?
Michael W. HowardBasic income, climate change, and the future of work
Peter T. KnightWhy We are Moving Toward a Federal Universal Basic Income in the United States
Milena KowalskaImpact of unconditional basic income on the individual socio-economic situation of women in Poland
Steven McAteeFunding Basic Income
Iain B MiddletonRealising a Basic Income
Anne MillerThe Definition of Basic Income and Uniformity
Mark O’LearyA Politically Achievable pathway to a Basic Income in Australia
Alina PlitmanCreate vs. Toil: A New Concept of Work
Enno SchmidtGötz Werner Tribute Panel
Jane ScottUBI presentation
Alejandro SewrjuginPhiEconomy’s response to the health, ecological & social crises
leveraging together exponential technologies & the minimum expected income as a balancer for global equality
Dr Jan StroekenBasic income: from redistribution ideology to work as life fulfilment and socio-cultural revolution, and what this means for the implementation strategy
Malcolm TorryA research agenda for Basic Income
Sam Whiting
Creative People, Products and Places (CP3) Research Centre, UniSA Creative, University of South Australia

BIEN 2021, Glasgow

Videos of all plenary sessions are available on youtube. Abstracts of all the concurrent sessions will be published as soon as available. 

BIEN 2019, Hyderabad

Videos of all the plenary sessions are available on youtube. Abstracts of all the concurrent sessions are available here. Full papers and slides of some presentations are available below. 

Joffre BalceFrom Austerity to Prosperity: How Dealing with a Meltdown Can Lead to a Universal Basic Outcome
Diana BashurThe Applicability of Universal Basic Income in Post-Conflict Scenarios: The Syria Case
Sanishtha Bhatia and Tanya RanaImpact of human behaviour on the perception of the government’s Universal Basic Income (UBI) scheme
Peter BrakeImplementation of a Universal Basic Income
Chloe HalpennyA “State” of Possibility? Reconfiguring basic income’s feminist potential through the lens of the state
Michael W. HowardThe Atmospheric Commons and Carbon Dividends: Implications for global and national basic income policies
Aleeza HowittRoadmap to a Government-Independent Basic Income (UBI) Digital Currency
Kristiina HyryläinenFrom Negative Human Concept to Newtural Human Concept
Valerija KorošecUnconditional Basic Individual Universal Child Grant for Belgium following the Slovenian approach
Julio Linares and Gabriela CabañaTowards an ecology of care: Basic Income after the nation-state
Shobana NelascoGrowth versus Development in the light of Universal Basic Income – A focus on India Case
Michael PughCommunity Organising & Basic Income: Reflections from North America
Malcolm TorryResearch and education in the Basic Income debate
Wu GaohuiFrom Technology to Anti-technology: How does Technical Governance Transform the Local Cadre Behaviors in China’s Rural Anti-poverty?

BIEN 2018, Tampere

Papers and presentations from the 2018 BIEN Congress in Tampere, Finland are available below.

Videos of the plenary sessions are viewable on YouTube.

Jan Otto AnderssonFrom Citizen Wage to Basic Income: The Nordic Experience
Jan Otto AnderssonThe global ethical trilemma and basic income
Marc de BasquiatA Universal Basic Income for Social Inclusion
André CoelhoUniversal Basic Income Funded by the People
Odra Delgado and Gerardo VelasquezUniversal Basic Income in the Mexican labour market: Financial sustainability in the context of flexibility, high informality and low-income tax
Anna DentFrom Utopia to Implementation: How Basic Income has progressed from radical idea to legitimate policy solution (presentation)
Bettina DuerrBasic Income Experiments: A Political Feasibility Analysis
Guido Erreygers and John CunliffeWas Basic Income Invented in Belgium in 1848? Exploring the Origins and Continuing Relevance of a Simple Idea 
Fernando FreitasBasic Income in Brazil: Analysis of arguments advocated by Brazilian publications (1975-2017)
Yannick FischerBasic Income, Labour Automation and Migration – An Approach from a Republican Perspective
Susanna Groves and John MacNeilEconomic and Policy Impact Statement – Approaches and Strategies for Providing a Minimum Income in the District of Columbia (presentation)
Dirk von HeinrichshorstHorizon – United Basic Income (white paper) (presentation)
Pertti HonkanenSimulations for Basic Income Experiment in Finland
Michael HowardCosmopolitanism and an ecological basic income
Karen JoostePower, Poverty and Socio-Economic Policy in South Africa
Shari LaliberteYoung people’s perspectives on the meaning and determinants of mental health: Implications for developing & evaluating guaranteed income and inter-sectoral policies
Elina LepomäkiThe Life Account
Mark Lindley and Karan KumarUniversal Basic Income and Ecological Economics
José A. NogueraWhat is the ‘Net Cost’ of a Basic Income? Some Conceptual Problems
Michael OpielkaBasic Income and Guarantism: Why a Basic Income favors the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and Social Sustainability
Andrew PercySocial prosperity for the future: A proposal for Universal Basic Services
Carmen García PérezDoes the Right to Basic Income Already Exist? An Overview of the European and Spanish Legal Framework
Bill RaleyThe Citizen’s Dividend (presentation)
Thiago RochaThe Citizen’s Basic Income as a Fundamental Right in the Brazilian Legal System
Charles SampfordPaying for Basic Income: a ‘virtuous’ problem
Scott SantensSocial Media Workshop for Basic Income Advocates
Sabine StadlerThe means tested basic income in Austria, a new right in power
Eugen TornquistBasic Income and the Welfare State
Malcolm TorryBasic Income and Basic Income schemes: definitions and details
Jens WamslerModels for introducing basic income in Denmark (presentation)
Andrew WhiteThe rise of the superstar (digital) economy and the case for a universal basic income (paper)
Karl WiderquistThe Devil’s in the Caveats: A Brief Discussion of the Difficulties of Basic Income Experiments
Gunmin YiHow can basic income activate and encourage labor-managed firms? A two-track strategy for economic democracy

BIEN 2017, Lisbon

Elena Ambuhl, Nicole Teke and Aurélie Hampel (France)Considering basic income through the lens of agriculture: an innovative food policy measure to support fairer and more sustainable food systems
Julio Andrade (South Africa)Implementing a basic income: An income stream through a reconceptualization of data
Helen BlakemanUtopia of the Zero Hour Contract
Eugenio R.Borrallo (Spain)Basic income as a tool to dignify the work of landless peasants
Peter Brake (New Zealand)Implementation of Basic Income
Geoff Crocker (UK)Overcoming the Objection of Affordability of Basic Income – A Radical View
Alexander de Roo (Netherlands)Campaign to get basic income in the Dutch government program
Pablo Fernández del CastilloBasic Income in complementary currency: Thinking outside the box
Andrea Fumagalli (Italy)The correct definition of basic income as primary income: remuneration of life in bio-cognitive capitalism
Katarzyna Gajewska (France)The Future of Work in a Basic Income and Post-Employment System: The Scenario of Peer Production
Karen Glass (Canada)Finding a Better Way: A Basic Income Pilot Project for Ontario
Troy Henderson (Australia)Options for a Basic Income in Australia
Neil Howard (Belgium)Basic Income and the Contemporary Anti-Slavery Movement
Michael W. Howard (USA)Basic Income and Degrowth
Lynn Johnson and Peter Lanius (Australia)Can a Basic Income Stop The Illegal Wildlife Trade?
Jaeseop Kim (South Korea)Basic income pilot project by Korean youth : imagine another world
Marcelo LessaUm passo à frente: Ferramenta econômica acelerando a transformação social
Lowell Manning (New Zealand)Strategies of Communication in the Implementation of Basic Income in New Zealand and its Relationship with the Existing Income Support Structure
Jean-Philippe MartinMitigating technological unemployment through shared work
Bastiaan MeindersBasic Income and the Epistemic Problem of Happiness
Sandra MillerSolving Basic Income’s Most Intractable Problem of Secure Distribution
Annie Miller (UK)A New Poverty Benchmark For Basic Income Schemes
Tadashi Okanouchi (Tokyo)Global Basic Income or Human Heritage Dividend
Maria Ozanira da Silva e Silva (Brazil) and Valéria Ferreira Santos de Almada Lima (Brazil)The Political and Economic Conjuncture in Brazil Post Lula’s and Dilma’s Governments: a step back in the direction of implantation of a Basic Income in Brazil
Bonno Pel (Belgium) and Julia Backhaus (Maastricht University)Realizing Basic Income: shifting claims to expertise in Basic Income advocacy
Lisa Perrone (Australia), Margaret H. Vickers (Australia) and Debra Jackson (UK)Introducing Financial Freedom: What It Can Teach Us about Basic Income
Ville-Veikko Pulkka (Finland)A Free Lunch with Robots – Can a Basic Income Stabilise the Digital Economy?
Marcela Ribeiro de Albuquerque (Brazil), Rogério Mendonça Martins (Brazil)PolíticaLeen_Scholiers_SMart_a_cooperative_for_freelancerss Governamentais de Inclusão Produtiva para a Redução da Pobreza no Brasil
Sonja ScherndlArticle 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Universal Basic Income
Leen ScholiersThe Future of Work and Technological Unemployment
Charles SheredaThe Modern Talent: An Earth-Backed Democratic Digital Currency System
Thaís Amanda Silvestre (Brazil), Carla Maria Freres Stipp (Brazil), e Marcela Ribeiro de Albuquerque (Brazil)Aspectos do Processo de Terceirização no Direito Trabalhista Brasileiro: Precarização de Direitos Fundamentais
Eduardo Suplicy (Brazil)Lectures to the XVII International Conference of the Basic Income Earth Network in Lisbon
Cristian Tod (Austria)Free Lunch Society
John Tomlinson (Australia)When will the BIG wheel turn? Basic Income in Australia
Malcolm Torry (UK)What’s a Definition? And how should we define ‘Basic Income’?
Anikó Vida (Hungary)With or Without Work? The dilemmas surrounding basic income from the perspective of full citizenship
Gunmin Yi (South Korea)The Effects of Basic Income on Labour Supply

This table contains the papers uploaded to the congress website prior to the congress. If other authors submit their papers then they will be added to this list.

Videos are available of many of the congress sessions. Click here to see them.

BIEN 2016, Seoul

The Proceedings of the 2016 congress are contained in a single document, in which can be found plenary session addresses and parallel session papers. Click here to download the document.

BIEN 2014, Montréal

AuthorsPapers
Timothy Roscoe CarterThe One Minute Case for a Basic Income
Malcolm TorryA Basic Income is feasible: but what do we mean by ‘feasible’?
Sarah M. Mah, Yuly ChanGuaranteed Livable Income as the way forward to Abolishing Prostitution
Doctress NeutopiaUniversal Income, Women’s Liberation, and Neutopian Thoughts
Edward James MillerDemand Side Economics And Its Consequence- The National Dividend
Emanuele MurraLimiting Economical Instrumental Action: Basic Income in Habermasian Perspective
Nam Hoon KangBasic Income for Precarious Workers in Korea
Katarzyna GajewskaHow Basic Income Will Transform Active Citizenship? A Scenario of Political Participation beyond Delegation
Sheila RegehrBasic Income and Gender Equality: Reflections on the Potential for Good Policy in Canada
John TomlinsonReal freedom for the filthy rich – precariousness for the rest of us: Why we must fight for a Basic Income
Robert W. Glover, Michael W. HowardA Carrot, Not a Stick: Examining the Potential Role of Basic Income in US Immigration Policy
Maria Ozanira da Silva e SilvaThe Conditionalities Of The Bolsa Família: Its Conservative Face And Limitations To Implement The Citizenship Basic Income In Brazil
Charla VallBuilding On The Basics: Impact And Insights From The Basic Needs Fund

BIEN 2012, Munich

AuthorPaper
Herbert WilkensBasic Income and Minimum Wages – Temporary or Permanent Complements?
Luis Henrique PaivaThe Bolsa Familia Programme and Basic Income
Ulrich SchachtschneiderEcological basic income: an entry is possible
Joerg DrescherArguing for Basic Income from a Jurisprudential Perspective
Giovanni PerazzoliWhat are the arguments in favor of the Basic Income? Let’s talk about Italy
Philippe van ParijsPersonal reflections on the 14th congress of the Basic Income Earth Network
Baptiste MylondoCan basic income lead to economic degrowth ?
Wolfgang MüllerThe Potential of an Unconditional Basic Income within Social Security Systems in Europe
Gwang-Eun ChoiBasic Income and Deepening Democracy
Jan Otto AnderssonDegrowth with basic income – the radical combination
Tomohiro InoueEconomic Sustainability of Basic Income Under a Citizen-centered Monetary Regime
Bruno Andrioli GalvãoThe good intention and the hard truth of basic income in Brazil
Myron J. FrankmanUniversalizing the Universal Declaration (of Human Rights)
Erik ChristensenA basic income reform as part of the abolition of economic privileges and the creation of a sustainable society
Eduardo Matarazzo SuplicyHow and when will the Brazilian Law that institutes a Citizen’s Basic Income really be fully implemented?
Maria Ozanira da Silva e SilvaThe bolsa família and social protection in brazil: problematizing the conditionalities as limits for the implementation of the citizens’ basic income
Claudia & Dirk HaarmannPiloting Basic Income in Namibia – Critical reflections on the process and possible lessons
Ugo ColombinoDesigning a universal income support mechanism for Italy. An exploratory tour
Leonardo Fernando Cruz BassoSaving the euro: creating social regional currencies, taxes on financial transactions, and minimum income programs
Hayato KobayashiThe Future ofPublic Assistance Reform in Japan:Workfare vs. Basic Income?
Michael W. HowardBasic income, resource taxation, and inequality: Egalitarian reservations about tax shifting
Jens-Eberhard JahnA Basic Income for Rural Areas? A proposal for a strategic realignment of agricultural, social and structure policy within the EU
Malcolm TorryThe political feasibility of a Citizen’s Income in the UK
Richard ParncuttUniversal basic income and flat income tax: Tax justice, incentive, economic democracy
Ronald BlaschkeOpportunities and Risks on the Way to a Basic Income in Germany – a political assessment
Toru YamamoriThe 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Basic Income
Reima LaunonenBasic
 Income,
 Property-owning
 Democracy
 and
 the
 Just 
Distribution 
of 
Property
Johanna PerkiöThe Struggle over Interpretation: Basic Income in the Finnish Public Discussion in 2006-2012
Mikko Jakonen, Jukka Peltokoski, Tero ToivanenOccupy Life! Precarity and Basic Income
Mingull JeungEcological Expansion of Basic Income: Beyond Capitalism
Sascha LiebermannFar, though close : Problems and Prospects of Basic Income in Germany
Erik ChristensenBasic income – A transcultural perspective
Kaori KatadaBasic Income and Feminism: in terms of “the gender division of labor”
Hiroya HiranoThe Potential of introducing Basic Income for the“New Public Commons”in Japan: A Road to Associational Welfare State?
Stanislas JourdanA monetary approach towards an unconditional basic income in Greece
Micheál CollinsEstimating the Cost of a Basic Income for Ireland
Marcia Ribeiro de AlbuquerqueIncome Transfers Policies In Brazil Facing To Recent Global Economic Crisis
Karl Widerquist & Michael HowardAlaska’s Permanent Fund Dividend: Examining Its Suitability as a Model
Nam Hoon KangThe Necessity And Effects Of Ecological Basic Income In Korea
Wouter van GinnekenPoverty, Human Rights And Income Security In Europe
José Luis Rey PérezBasic Income In The Discussion About Human Rights: Right Or Guarantee?
Valerija KorošecBasic Income Proposal in Slovenia
Kelly ErnstThe Basics of an Economic Rights Movement: APublic Economy
Javier Alonso MadrigalBasic Income and the Constitutional Principles of Fiscal Justice
Tadashi OkanouchiTowards Abolition of Wage-Slavery;Perspective to a Non-Violent World Revolution for the Guaranteed Global Basic Income Society, Launching from Elimination of Hunger and Poverty
Vivan StorlundBasic income and the value of work
Rosangela Lodigiani and Egidio RivaCapability Income: A policy proposal in the fight against poverty and social exclusion
Joonas LeppänenBasic Income as Participatory Parity
Anne B Ryan & John BakeReflections on Developing a National Campaign for Basic Income in Ireland
Marina P. Nobrega, Tereza Nakagawa, Francisco G. Nobrega, Eduardo M. SuplicyA Feasible Path to Basic Income in Brazil
Anne MillerA rule-of-thumb Basic Income model for the UK, with and without an earnings/income disregard.
Hamid TabatabaiFrom Price Subsidies to Basic Income: The Iran Model and its Lessons
Valerie TimmUnconditional basic Income – A call for a human right ?
Leon SegersBasic Income & perverted global labour market
Pertti Honkanen & Jouko KajanojaSteps towards Basic Income – Case of Finland
Seán Healy, Michelle Murphy, Seán Ward and Brigid ReynoldsBasic Income – Why and How in Difficult Economic Times: Financing a BI in Ireland
B. Michael Gilroy, Mark Schopf, Anastasia SemenovaBasic Income and Labor Supply: The German Case
Andrea Fumagalli, Cristina MoriniThe Precarity-Trap and Basic Income: the Labour Market in Cognitive Bio-capitalism. The Italian Case
Roisin MulliganUniversal Basic Income and Recognition Theory
Marguit Neumann Gonçalves, Marcela Ribeiro de Albuquerque, Rosalina Lima IzepãoIncubation Of Solidarity Economic Enterprises: The Experiences Of The Incubator Unitrabalho-Universidade Estadual De Maringá-Uemin Paraná State-Brazil
Borja BarraguéThe feasibility of extending the safety net in times of crisis: A view from Spain
Juergen GreinerThe Evolutionary Dimension of Basic Income and its Integration in Society
Nyc LabretšThe Future of Workplace Automation Has Already Arrived

BIEN2010, São Paulo

Author 
Borja Barragué 
Michèle Billoré 
Gianluca Busilacchi 

BIEN 2008, Dublin

AuthorPaper
Borja BarraguéPigovian Taxes, Cap-and-Trade System, or Environmental Adders? A Green Financial Model for a Basic Income
Michèle BilloréNoospheric Ethical/Ecological Constitution for Mankind
Document 1
/ Document 2
Gianluca BusilacchiThe different regimes of minimum income policies in the enlarged Europe
Richard CaputoThe Way Forward – the political dimension
Erik ChristensenA Global Ecological Argument for a Basic Income
William CleggBasic Income-Greater Freedom of Choice Through Greater Economic Security of the Person in a Globalized Economy
Jörg DrescherEconomic view of model proposals for funding a basic income on the basis of the value creation of goods and services
Julieta ElgarteBasic income and the gendered division of labour
Pat EvansChallenging Income (In)security: Women and Precarious Employment
Myron J. FrankmanJustice, Sustainability and Progressive Taxation and Redistribution: The Case for a World-Wide Basic Income
Manuel FranzmannAn Unconditional Basic Income from the Perspective of the Sociology of Religion
Andrea Fumagalli and Stefano LucarelliBasic Income and Counter-power in Cognitive Capitalism
Anca GheausBasic Income, Gender Justice and the Costs of Gender-symmetrical Lifestyles
Áine Uí GhiollagáinBasic income and caring: Why aren’t all caregivers interested in basic income?
Johannes HanelBasic Income and Social Justice
Michael W. HowardCosmopolitanism, Trade, and Global (or Regional) Transfers
Markku IkkalaBasic Income Discussion in Finland
Bill JordanBasic Income and Social Value
Celia Kerstenetzky and Gary DymskiGlobal Basic Income and Financial Globalisation
Celia Kerstenetzky and Lionello PunzoSustainable tourism: basic income for poor communities
Katja KippingMoving to Basic Income – A left-wing political perspective
Richard LawsonIntroducing Basic Income by the Back Door in a Recession
Sascha LiebermannThe German experience of bringing Basic Income into the National Debate
Rubén M. Lo VuoloLabour markets informality and welfare regimes in Latin America. Why Basic Income is better
John MacnicolThe politics of non-contributory pensions
Francisco Javier Alonso Madrigal and José Luis Rey PérezWhat Type of Taxes Demands Basic Income?
Francisco Jose Martinez MartinezDebate on Basic Income in the Spanish Parliament
Gösta MelanderHow a basic income may be achieved politically
Marc MeurisA Basic Income Allowance as a solution for the social unification of the EU
Heiner MichelIs a Global Basic Income a Remedy for Poverty?
Annie MillerDesigning and Costing Simple Basic Income Schemes
James MulvaleThe Debate on Basic Income / Guaranteed Adequate Income in Canada: Perils and Possibilities
Mary Murphy and Orla O’ConnorIs basic income the answer to the feminist demand to individualise Irish social security?
Maria OleynikBasic Income in a Changing Ireland
Ian Gareth OrtonEliminating Child Labour: The Promise of Unconditional Cash Transfers
Ian Gareth OrtonWhy we Ought to Listen to Zygmunt Bauman
Carole PatemanDemocracy, Human Rights and a Basic Income in a Global Era
Eric PatryThe Basic Income Debate in Switzerland: Experiences and Perspectives
Sergio Luiz de Moraes PintoBasic Income and Stakeholder Grants: Jointly Breaking the Long History of Endemic Poverty and Economic Inequality in Brazil
Hugh D. SegalMoving to Basic Income – A Right-Wing Political Perspective
Steven ShafarmanBasic Income and the 2008 Campaign in the United States
Al SheahenThe Rise and Fall of a Basic Income Guarantee Bill in the U.S. Congress
Al SheahenHow the U.S. Can Afford a Poverty-Level Basic Income Guarantee
Maria Ozanira da Silva e SilvaThe Bolsa Família Program and the Reduction of Poverty and Inequality in Brazil
Eduardo Matarazzo SuplicyThe Transition from the Bolsa Família Program to the Citizen’s Basic Income in Brazil
John TomlinsonTimor Leste: Minimum Wages, Job Guarantees, Social Welfare Payments or Basic Income?
Alexander VarshavskyBasic income and increasing income inequality in Russia
Pablo YanesNews from the South: Perspectives on Basic Income in Mexico and Latin America
Almaz ZellekeReconsidering Independence: Foundations of a Feminist Theory of Distributive Justice
Almaz ZellekeShould Feminists Endorse a Basic Income? Institutionalizing the Universal Caregiver through an Unconditional Basic Income
Clóvis Roberto ZimmermannThe Citizenship Principle in Income Transfer Programs in Brazil

BIEN 2006, Cape Town

NamePaper
Karen AllanSocial Security for Children is a Human Right
Christian M. BrutschBetween Universalism and Political Survival: Trade Unions Politics and Economic Security in the Middle East
Richard K. CaputoStanding Polanyi on His Head: The Basic Income Guarantee as a Response to the Commidification of Labor
David CasassasCorporate Watch, Consumer Responsibility, and Economic Democracy:
Forms of Political Action in the Orbit of Basic Income
Maria Ozanira da SilvaThe Scholarship Family Program a national program to universalize income transfer to all poor families in Brazil?
Julieta ElgartaGood for women? Advantages and risks of basic income from a gender perspective
Aart Roukens de LangeSubmission to the Portfolio Committee on Social Development relative to the Taylor Commission Report
Isobel FryeA study of international examples of cash transfer programmes with specific reference to issues of targeting; grant administration; the financing of social security and the potential developmental stimulus of cash transfers.
Japhet GaomabBiblical Justification for Basic Income Grant: The contribution of the silenced voices through a dialogical reading of John 5:1-9
Louise HaaghEquality and Income Security in Market Economies: What’s Wrong with Insurance?
Claudia & Dirk HaarmanWhy a universal income grant needs to be universal: The quest for Economic Empowerment vs. Charity in Namibia
Katharine HallUnder what conditions? Social Security for children in South Africa
Philip HarveyThe Relative Cost of Income and Job Guarantees
Michael HowardA NAFTA Dividend:A proposal for a guaranteed minimum income for North America
Karen KallmannTowards a BIG paradigm shift: A rights based approach to poverty alleviation
Bishop Dr. Z. KameetaA Basic Income Grant in Namibia: A response by the needy
Cons KaramataEffects of free trade on Namimbian Workers – Is BIG part of the solution?
Nanna KildalUniversal old age pensions: Arguments at time of introduction in Canada, Mauritius and Norway
Margaret LegumGrowth and the Basic Income Grant
Irkus LarrinagaBasic Income for immigrants too
Michael LewisThe Cost of Caring: The Impact of Caring for the Elderly on Women’s Wages
Sascha LiebermannPolitical Communities – Constituents of Universalism
Jennifer MaysAustralia’s Disabling Income Support System
Anna McCordAre Public Works an alternative to a Basic Income Grant?
Charles MethImplications of the impossibility of defining vulnerability among children in a theoretically rigorous way
Thabisile MsezaneFaith Community support for a Basic Income Grant
Eric PatryWhy Switzerland? Basic Income and the Development Potential of Swiss Republicasim
Michael SamsonUniversalism Promotes Development: Evidence from Southern Africa’s Social Transfers
Fabian SchuppertJustice and Income for All? The Limits of Political Reality for a Truly Universal Basic Income.
Guy StandingIncome Security: Why Unions should campaign for a basic income
Guy StandingHow a Basic Income is Working in Africa
Sen. Eduardo SuplicyThe possible Transition from the Bolsa-Famlia Program towards the Citizen’s Basic Income or The Political Difficulties and Budget Obstacles to Implement the Basic Income in Brazil
John TomlinsonAustralia: Basic Income and Decency
Robert van der VeenGift-sharing as the Basis of Real Freedom for All
Hubertus von HeynitzBasic Income Model for SA confronted by an AIDS Pandemic
Monika WallmonBasic Income beyond Wage Slavery: In search of transcending political aesthetics
Karl WiderquistProperty Rights by General Agreement
Pablo YanesUniversal Citizen’s Pension in Mexico City: An Opportunity for Debate on Basic Income
ClÛvis Roberto ZimmermannThe Brazilian social programs under the human rights perspective:
The case of the Family Scholarship (Bolsa FamÌlia) Program of LULA`s government

BIEN 2004, Barcelona

NamePaper
Antoni DomènechBasic Income and the Present Threats to Democracy
Eri Noguchi & Michael A. LewisBasic Income: A Basic Condition of a Better Society?
Irkus LarrinagaBasic Income and the Requirement of Impartiality in Deliberative Processes
Karl WiderquistFreedom as the Power to Say No
Philip HarveyA Comparative Assessment of Basic Income Proposals and Proposals to Secure the
Right to Work and Income Support
Martin Watts & William MitchellA Comparison of the Macroeconomic Consequences of Basic Income and Job
Guarantee Schemes
Guy StandingWhy the Right to Work Requires a Basic Income
José A. NogueraCitizens or Workers? Basic Income vs. Activation Policies
Jeffrey J. SmithCan Rents Fund an Extra Income for Everyone?
Charles BazlintonThe Dangers of a Basic Income Without Land Value Taxation
Malcom GreenCosmic Accounting: A New Energy Economic System of Basic Income
Ada Ávila AssunçãoWhen Income Transfer is Not Able to Eradicate the Practice of Working in Pernicious
Environments. A Case Study of the Bolsa Escola Program
Maria Ozanira da Silva e SilvaFrom a Minimum Income to a Citizenship Income: the Brazilian Experiences
Elenise SchererProgramme on Elimination of Child Labour in Brazil: Reinforcing Poverty and Denying Human Rights
Araceli Brizzio de la HozChild Labour, a Contemporary Form of Slavery
María Julia BertomeuProperty and Basic Income
Simon Eli BirnbaumReal Freedom and the Challenge of Structural Subordination
Julieta Magdalena ElgarteNon-domination, Real Freedom and Basic Income
Hans HarmsPrecariousity versus Flexicurity
Joel F. HandlerThe False Promise of Workfare: Another Reason for Basic Income Guarantee
Felicia KornbluhIf the Goods have Ceased to Be Urgent, Where Is the Fraud? The Work Ethic in the History of the Basic Income in the U.S.A.
Jorn LoftagerThree Third Ways
Erik ChristensenWelfare Discourses in Denmark Seen in a Basic Income Perspective
Myron J. FrankmanAmple Room at the Top: Financing a Basic Income
Jean Pierre MonSocial Money for Financing Basic Income
Eduardo Calderón & Óscar ValienteBasic Income as a Policy to Fight Child Poverty
Horacio Levy & othersChild Poverty and Family Assistance in Southern Europe
Michael HowardBasic Income and Migration Policy: A Moral Dilemma?
Luis BellvisBasic Income, Information Society and the Info-Poors
Nicoli NattrassThe Challenge for Basic Income Posed by AIDS: Why an Incremental Approach Is
Inadequate in South Africa
Jose Luis Rey PérezA New Gender Perspective for Basic Income?
Manfred FuellsackBI as a ‘Medium’? An Un-ethical Approach to the BI Debate
Ilkka VirjoDoes Minimum Income Have Negative Incentive Effects on the Young?
Christian BrütschFrom Decent Work to Decent Lives?
Jaione Mondragón & Amaia IzaolaThe Making of the Programs Against Social Exclusion in the Basque Country: From Cash Benefits to Overcoming Job Insertion
Brigid Reynolds & Sean HealyIntroducing a Basic Income System Category by Category in Ireland
Rafael Pinilla & Luis SanzoIntroducing a Basic Income System in Spain – Feasibility and Cost
Lena LavinasExceptionality and Paradox: Basic Income and Minimum Income Schemes in Brazil
Cláudio da Rocha RoquetePerspectives for Basic Income in Brazil + powerpoint presentation
Jorge Iván Bula & Diego F. HernándezMoving Away from Conditioned Subsidy Towards Universal Basic Income
Clovis ZimmermanBasic Food Income in Low Income Countries
Loek Groot &
Robert J. Van der Veen
Why Launch a Basic Income Experiment
Jordi Arcarons, Samuel Calonge, Daniel Raventós & José A. NogueraThe Financial Feasibility and Redistributive Impact of a Basic Income in Catalonia
Axel Marx & Hans PeetersWin for Life. What, If Anything, Happens After the Introduction of a Basic Income?
Jurgen De Wispelaere &
Lindsay Stirton
The Administration of Universal Welfare
Jens-Eberhard JahnProblems of a Programmatic UBI Debate in the German Party of Democratic
Socialism
Jose Luis Rey PérezA Juridical View on Basic Income
Richard K. CaputoEqualization of Meeting Needs vs. Equalization of Income Distribution: Reconsiderations of Basic Income & Economic Justice in Light of Van Parijs and Zucker
Toru YamamoriBasic Income and Capability Approach: On Recognition and Deconstruction for
Difference
Cristian Pérez MuñozBasic Income vs Market
Coordinators/Chairs: Àlex Boso, Sergi Raventós & Yannick VanderborghtDo Trade Unions Represent an Obstacle to the Introduction of a Basic Income? Lessons from the Belgian, Canadian and Dutch debates
Commentary by Juan González (Central de Trabajadores de Argentina)
Commentary by Iñaki Uribarri (ILP promoter – Member of ESK, Spain)
Commentary by Joan Coscubiela (General Secretary, Comisiones Obreras Catalonia, Spain)
Patrick DanaheyEducation and the Democratic Sovereignty of the People: A Human Rights Approach
Towards Universal Basic Income
Christine BoutinBasic income as a response to systemic crisis: the French Case.
Eduardo SuplicyThe approval and sanctioning of the Basic income bill in Brazil

BIEN 2002, Geneva

NamePaper
Aho, SimoMore selectivity in unemployment compensation in Finland: Has it led to activation or increased poverty?
Andersson, Jan-OttoPopular support for basic income in Sweden and Finland
Archer, SeanSocial and economic rights in the South African Constitution: The role of a basic income
Atkinson, AnthonyHow basic income is moving up the policy agenda: News from the future
Ballas, DimitrisA spatial micro-simulation approach to the impact assessment of basic income policies
Balsan, DidierL’incidence de l’allocation universelle sur la propension à travailler
Basso, LeonardoMeritorious Currency: A currency against famine
Basso, Leonardo (with Marcelo Silva & Fernando de Pinho)Tobin Tax, minimum income and the eradication of famine in Brazil
Bhorat, HaroonA universal income grant for South Africa: An empirical assessment
Bienefeld, ManfredAn economic model based on ‘fear and insecurity’
Blueme, MarkusAutriche: vers un minimum inter-institutionnel
Bradbury, FarelBasic income and the advanced economy
Bruto da Costa, AlfredoMinimum guaranteed income and basic income in Portugal
Busilacchi, GianlucaActivation minimum income and basic income: history of a comparison of two ideas
Cantillon, BeaWelfare State protection, labour markets and poverty: lessons from
cross-country comparisons
Carsten, UllrichProspects of popular support for basic income
Casassas, DavidRepublicanism and basic income: The articulation of the public sphere from the repoliticization of the private sphere
Chetvernina, Tatyana (with Liana Lakunina)Endless insecurity? The reality of Russia
Christensen, EricFeminist arguments in favour of welfare and basic income in Denmark
Costantin, Paulo DutraThe positive externality of basic income in a capitalist economy
Cruz-Saco, MariaA basic income policy for Peru: Can it work?
D’Addio, Anna CristinaAssessing unemployment traps in Belgium using panel data sample selection models
Dasgupta, SuktiCare Work: The quest for security
Deacon, BobTracking the global social policy discourse: From safety nets to universalism
de Pinho, Fernando (with Silva Marcelo & Leonardo Basso)Tobin Tax, minimum income and the eradication of famine in Brazil
Dommen, EdouardGeneva connections: Calvin, Rousseau and basic income
Dore, RonThe Liberal’s Dilemma: Immigration, social solidarity and basic income
Dubouchet, JulienDe la dette au droit: principes et évolutions de la sécurité sociale en Suisse
Dyer, AlanSocial credit as economic modernism: Seven theses
Euzeby, ChantalFeasibility and limitations of a minimum income for pensioners
Farvaque, Nicolas (with Robert Salais)Implementing allowances for young people in France: Enhancing capabilities or increasing selectivity
Fernandez, José IglesiasStrong versus weak models of basic income in Catalonia – Spain
Frankman, MyronA planet-wide citizen’s income. Espousal and estimates
Füllsack, ManfredWork and social differentiation. And how it gives reason to a basic income
Fumagalli, AndreaBio-economics, labour flexibility and cognitive work: Why not basic income?
Funiciello, TheresaGetting on a path to just distribution: The Caregiver Credit Campaign
Gamel, Claude (with Didier Balsan & Josiane Vero)L’Incidence de l’allocation universelle sur la propension à travailler
Ghai, DharamPursuing Basic Income Security in Africa
Goldsmith, ScottThe Alaska Permanent Fund: A basic income in action
Handler, JoelSocial citizenship and Workfare in the USA and Western Europe. From status to contract
Harvey, PhilipThe Right to Work: Taking economic rights seriously
Healy, Sean (with Brigid Reynolds)From poverty relief to universal entitlement: Social welfare and basic
income in Ireland
Hernandez, DiegoSelectivity in social policy in Colombia during the 1990s
Hoskins, DalmerResurrecting universalism in social security
Howard, MichaelLiberal and Marxist justifications for basic income
Hrdina, JeanneUniversal basic livelihood is essential for world peace
Kangas, Olli (with Jan-Otto Andersson)Popular support for basic income in Sweden and Finland
Kallmann, KarelMobilising a Coalition for Basic Income in South Africa
Kildal, Nanna (with Stein Kuhnle)The principle of universalism: Tracing a key concept in the Scandanavian welfare model
Kratke, MichaelBasic Income, Commons and Commodities: The Public Domain Revisited
Kuhnle, Stein (with Nanna Kildal)The principle of universalism: Tracing a key concept in the Scandanavian welfare model
Kunnemann RolfBasic income: A state’s obligation under the human right to food
Lakunina, Liana (with Tatyana Chetvernina)Endless insecurity? The reality of Russia
Laurent, ThierryIncitations et transitions sur le marché du travail: une analyse dynamique
des trappes à inactivité
Lavinas, LenaThe bolsa escola in Brazilian cities
Le Clainche, ChristineLes préférences pour la redistribution: Une analyse du profil des
individus favourables à l’allocation universelle
le Roux, PieterThe benefits of a basic income in South Africa
Liebeg, StefanA legitimate guaranteed minimum income
Loftager, JornDeliberative democracy and the legitimacy of basic income
Lord, CliveThe mutual interdependence of a citizen’s income and ecological sustainability
Lo Vuolo, RubenThe basic income debate in the context of a systemic crisis: The case of Argentina
Manning, LowellBasic income and economic transformation in New Zealand
Marx, IveMass joblessness, the Bismarckian model and the limits to gradual adaptation in Belgium
Matisonn, Heidi (with Jeremy Seekings)Welfare in Wonderland? The politics of the basic income grant in South Africa
Matsaganis, ManosThe rise and fall of selectivity a la Grecque
Mau, SteffenA legitimate guaranteed minimum income
Meireis, TorstenCalling: A Christian argument for a basic income
Mon, Jean-PierrePour une conditionnalité transitoire
Moreira, AmilcarIndividual moral dignity and the guarantee of a minimum income
Morley-Fletcher, EdwinAlternative models of credit cards
Noguera, Jose(with Daniel Raventos)Basic income, social polarisation and the Right to Work
November, AndrasLe revenu minimum social à Genève: douze ans de débats politiques
Oberson, BertrandLes mesures d’insertion sociale dans le canton de Fribourg
Offe, ClausCitizenship Rights: Why Basic Income Security is Fundamental
Opielka, MichaelA Care-worker Allowance for Germany
Ostner, IlonaTargeted universalism?
Ozanira da Silva e Silva, MariaMinimal income programmes directed at infantile work eradication and to school inclusion in Brazil
Pinilla, RafaelA diversified basic income for federal states and multinational communities
Pioch, RoswithaMigration, citizenship and welfare reform in Europe: Overcoming Labour Market Segregation
Plant, RaymondCan there be a Right to Basic Income?
Ramji, VidyaIncome security and hidden care issues: Female care workers emigrating from Kerala (India) to the Middle East
Raventos, DanielRepublicanism and basic income: The articulation of the public sphere from the repoliticization of the private sphere
Raventos, DanielBasic income, social polarisation and the Right to Work
Reynolds, Brigid (with Sean Healy )From poverty relief to universal entitlement: Social welfare and basic
income in Ireland
Saith, AshwaniReflections on income security in development policy
Salais, Robert (with Nicolas Farvaque)Implementing allowances for young people in France: Enhancing capabilities or increasing selectivity
Salvatore, IngridA Philosophical Justification for Basic Income as Social Justice
Samson, Michael (with Ingrid van Niekerk)The macro-economic implications of poverty-reducing transfers
Santibanez, ClaudioEquality, human rights and social minima: An unconditional universal basic income proposal for Chile
Sanzo-Gonzalez, LuisAllocation universelle et garantie de ressources au Pays Basque
Schade, GünterThe Great Delusion about a remedy for unemployment
Schmitter, PhilippeA modest proposal for extending social citizenship in the EU
Schwarzenbach, SibylThe limits of production: Justifying guaranteed basic income
Shafarman, StevenMobilising for basic income
Seekings, Jeremy (with Heidi Matisonn)Welfare in Wonderland? The politics of the basic income grant in South Africa
Sheahan, AllenDoes everyone have a Right to a Basic Income?
Silva, Marcelo (with Leonardo Basso & Fernando de Pinho)Tobin Tax, minimum income and the eradication of famine in Brazil
Silver, HilarySocial insecurity and basic income
Sobhan, RehmanIncome security through asset distribution
Stadler, SabineAssessing selectivity, including Workfare, in Austria
Standing, GuyThe South African Solidarity Grant
Standing, GuyAbout Time: Basic security through income and capital
Stock, RosamundThe psychological rationale for basic income
Strengmann-Kuhn, WolfgangWorking Poor in Europe: A partial basic income for workers?
Suplicy, EduardoLegitimising basic income in developing countries: Brazil
Thorel, Jean-PierreUne allocation universelle pour la Suisse
Tons, KatrinIncremental disentitlement in German welfare policy
Van den Bosch, Karel (with Bea Cantillon)Welfare State protection, labour markets and poverty: lessons from
cross-country comparisons
Vanderborght, YannickBasic income in Belgium and the Netherlands: Implementation through the back door?
Van Niekerk, Ingrid (with Michael Samson)The macro-economic implications of poverty-reducing transfers
Van Parijs, PhilippeDoes basic income make sense as a worldwide project?
Van Trier, WalterThe conversion of Andre Gorz
Vero, Josiane (with Didier Balsan & Claude Gamel)L’Incidence de l’allocation universelle sur la propension à travailler
Vielle, Pascale (with Pierre Walthery)Emploi flexible et protection sociale : Pistes et esquisses de réconciliation
Virjo, Ilkka (with Simo Aho)More selectivity in unemployment compensation in Finland: Has it led to activation or increased poverty?
Walthery, Pierre (with Pascale Vielle)Emploi flexible et protection sociale : Pistes et esquisses de réconciliation
Watts, MartinA system of basic income versus the job guarantee
Widerquist, KarlA failure to communicate: The labor market findings of the NIT experiments and their effects on policy and public opinion
Wigley, SimonBasic income and the means to self-govern
Wohlgenannt, Lieselotte
(with Markus Blueme)
Autriche: vers un minimum inter-institutionnel
Zelenev, SergeiSocial protection imperatives in post-Socialist Russia
Zelleke, AlmazRadical pluralism: A liberal defence of unconditionality
Zoyem, Jean-PaulInégalités hommes-femmes et la place des enfants dans la protection sociale

BIEN 2000, Berlin

NamePaper
Archibugi, FrancoThe non-market activities and the future of Capitalism
Basso, LeonardoThe minimum income models of James Meade applied to Brazil
Bauer, MichaelExtending social citizenship at the European level: Proposal for a Euro-Stipend
Berteloot, BernardA basic income or a basic capital?
Blais, Francois (with Jean-Yves Duclos)Basic income in a federation: The case of Canada
Bresson, YolandBasic income as foundation of the new economy and harmonisation of social European politics
Burbidge, Duncan
(with Stuart Duffin)
Stumbling towards basic income: The prospects for tax-benefit integration
Christensen, ErikThe Rhetoric of Rights and responsibilities in workfare and citizen’s income
Costantin, Paulo Dutra
(with Leonardo Basso)
The minimum income models of James Meade applied to Brazil
Cunliffe, John (with Guido Erreygers)Basic income? Basic capital! Origins and issues of a debate
Dahms, HarryMoishe Postone’s critique of traditional Marxism as an argument for the guaranteed minimum income
De Deken, JohanFunded pensions, responsibility of ownership, and economic citizenship
De Wispelaere, JurgenBargaining for basic income? Justice and politics in welfare policy
De Wispelaere, Jurgen
(with Daniel Rubenson)
Participation through basic income: A social capital approach
Duclos, Jean-YvesBasic income in a federation: The case of Canada
Duffin, StuartRecognizing citizenship
Duffin, Stuart
(with Duncan Burbidge)
Stumbling towards basic income: The prospects for tax-benefit integration
Erreygers, GuidoBasic income? Basic capital! Origins and issues of a debate
Fischer, AndreaOpening Address
Franzmann, Manuel
(with Sascha Liebermann)
Saving citizenship from the Workhouse: Upholding the obligation to work undermines the citizen’s autonomy
Fumagalli, AndreaEleven propositions on basic income (basic income in a flexible accumulation system)
Giullari, SusannaEnabling the creative tension: Lone mothers, kin support and basic income
Godino, RogerBasic income, market economy, and democracy
Groot, Loek
(with Robert van der Veen )
Basic income versus working subsidies: An assessment of the Vandenbroucke model
Healy, Sean
(with Brigid Reynolds)
Progressing basic income on a range of fronts
Hoglund, MatsReflections about the basic income debate from a Swedish perspective
Huber, JosephFunding basic income by Seignorage
Jacquet, LaurenceDoes optimal income tax theory justify a basic income?
Janson, PerBasic income and the Swedish welfare state
Just, Wolf-DieterTowards a new understanding of work, income and life
Kildal, NannaWorkfare policies and the Scandinavian welfare model
Klammer, UteWorking women in the age of flexibility: New diversities, new needs for social protection
Kraetke, MichaelTaxation and civil rights. The Right to subsistance in the European Tradition
Krebs, AngelikaWhy mothers should be fed: Ein kritik an Van Parijs
Kutylowski, JanRelative income deprivation and its determinants and consequences in Poland
Leischen, Petra (with Wolfram Otto)Existential subsistence for everyone: The concept of BAG-SHI
Lerner, SallyThe positives of ‘flexibility’: Spreading work, promoting choice
Little, AdrianCivil societies and economic citizenship: The contribution of basic income theory to new interpretations of the public sphere
Martínez, Francisco JoséSalary work and free activity
Liebermann, Sascha
(with Manuel Franzmann)
Saving citizenship from the Workhouse: Upholding the obligation to work undermines the citizen’s autonomy
Mathers, Andrew
(with Graham Taylor)
Popular networks and public support for a basic income in Europe
Merle, Jean-ChristopheWould a universal basic income really leximin real freedom?
Moreno, LuisEuropeanization and decentralization of ‘safety net’ schemes
Moulier Boutang, YannThe link between global productivity and individual cumulative basic income: Some suggestions
Noguera, José AntonioBasic income and the Spanish welfare state
Opielka, MichaelParental income and basic income. Why family matters for citizenship
Otto, Wolfram
(with Petra Leischen)
Existential subsistence for everyone: The concept of BAG-SHI
Ozanira da Silva e Silva , MariaThe minimum income: A monetary transfer to poor families with children in school age in brazil
Pinilla, RafaelThe persistence of poverty in free market economic systems and the basic income proposal: An economic analysis
Pioch, RoswithaEU integration and basic income: Rethinking social justice in competitive welfare states
Reynolds, Brigid
(with Sean Healy)
Progressing basic income on a range of fronts
Robeyns, Ingrid CThe political economy of non-market work
Rubenson, Daniel
(with Jurgen De Wispelaere)
Participation through basic income: A social capital approach
Schmitter, Philippe
(with Michael Bauer)
Extending social citizenship at the European level: Proposal for a Euro-Stipend
Seel, BarbaraLegitimizing unpaid household work by monetarization – achievements and problems
Suplicy, EduardoIn the direction of a citizen’s income: The advancement of the battle in Brazil
Suplicy, EduardoUm dialogo com Milton Friedman sobre o imposto de renda negativo
Taylor, Graham
(with Andrew Mathers)
Popular networks and public support for a basic income in Europe
Tenschert, Ursula (with Matthias Till)Poverty and minimum income in EU-14: First results of the ECHP
Till, Matthias (with Ursula Tenschert)Poverty and minimum income in EU-14: First results of the ECHP
Töns, KatrinPaternalism and the right to take risks
Vanderborght, YannickThe ‘VIVANT’ experiment in Belgium: An issue-based political party focused on full basic income
Van der Veen, Robert (with Loek Groot)Basic income versus working subsidies: An assessment of the Vandenbroucke model
Van Donselaar, GijsTom Sawyers fence: On the border between leisure and income
Van Parijs, PhilippeBasic income: A simple and powerful idea for the 21st century
Walter, TonyHow to thrive while on sabbatical: A review of evidence
Widerquist, KarlCitizenship or obligation
Wigley, SimonThe right to equal choice and the problem of cumulative (mis)fortune

BIEN 1998, Amsterdam

NamePaper
Andersson, Jan-Otto (SUO)The History of an Idea: Why did Basic Income Thrill the Finns, but not the Swedes? (published in Basic Income on the Agenda)
Balfour, Christopher (UK)Selling Basic Income to UK Conservatives
Borovali, Murat (UK)Self-Ownership, Private Property, and Unconditional Income: A Variation on the Georgist Theme
Chapman, David (UK)Reforming the tax and benefit system to reduce unemployment
Chiappero, E. (IT), with M. Serati & F. SilvaBasic income: an insidious trap or a fruitful chance for the Italian labour market?
Christensen, Erik (DK)An analysis of the Danish political debate on Citizen’s Income in the period 1977-97
Clark, Charles (US), with Catherine KavanaghAnswering the Economic Questions and Objections to a Basic Income
Cunliffe, John (UK), with Guido ErreyghersBasic Endowments and Basic Income: Some Belgian Precursors
De Beer, Paul (NL)In search of the double-edged sword
(published in Basic Income on the Agenda)
De Beer, Paul (NL), with Loek GrootWhy launch a basic income experiment?
De Wispelaere, Jurgen (B)Job Rights, Reciprocity, and the Constitutional Approach to Basic Income
Duboin, Marie-Louise (F)The Civic Contract: a first step to a distributive economy
Erreygers, Guido (B), with John CunliffeBasic Endowments and Basic Income: Some Belgian Precursors
Ferge, Zsuzsa (H)Basic Income for the Poorer Part of Europe?
Fitzpatrick, Tony (UK)Into an Era of Post-Social Security: Globalisation and State Pluralism
Gamel, Claude (FR)The use of employment rents for the financing of basic income
Gortemaker, Philip (NL)Basic income, a matter of the heart
Healy, Sean (IRE), with Brigid ReynoldsFrom Concept to Green Paper: Putting Basic Income on the Political Agenda (published in Basic Income on the Agenda)
Hemerijck, Anton (NL)Prospects for Effective Social Citizenship in an Age of Structural Inactivity
(published in Basic Income on the Agenda)
Howard, Michael (US)Basic Income and Cooperatives
Hughes, Gordon (UK), with Adrian LittleNew Labour, Communitarianism and the Public Sphere in the UK
Jerusalem, Erwin (AU)Basic Income: How it was introduced to the political agenda in Austria
Kavanagh, Catherine (IRE), with Charles ClarkAnswering the Economic Questions and Objections to a Basic Income
Lehmann, Mary (US)Opposing Globalization Could Justify Resource-Based Basic Income
Lerner, Sally (CA)Fear of freedom: a barrier to putting BI on the political agenda
Little, Adrian (UK), with Hughes GordonNew Labour, Communitarianism and the Public Sphere in the UK
Loftager, Jørn (DK)Solidarity and Universality in the Danish Welfare State
Lunde, Thomas (CA)The Family Basic Income Proposal
Manning, Lowell (NZ)The Economic Effects of Introducing a Full Universal Basic Income into the New Zealand Economy
Metz, Paul (NL)The daughter of Karl Marx en Adam Smith
Mitschke, Joachim (D)Pleading for a Negative Income Tax
(published in Basic Income on the Agenda)
Morier-Genoud, Jean (SWI)Toward a renovation of economic circulation and institutionsMorley-Fletcher, Edwin (IT)
Opening AddressOzanira da Silva e Silva, Maria (BRA)
The Minimum Income as a Policy for Increasing Child Education in BrazilPelzer, Helmut (GE)
Funding of an Unconditional Basic Income in Germany via a Modified
Tax/Transfer SystemPioch, Roswitha (GE)
The bottom line of the welfare state in Germany and the NetherlandsQuilley, Steven (UK)
Sustainable Funding of Basic Income: Environment, Citizenship & Community, and a Trajectory for Basic Income Politics in Europe
(published in Basic Income on the Agenda)
Reynolds, Brigid (IRE), with Sean HealyFrom Concept to Green Paper: Putting Basic Income on the Political Agenda (published in Basic Income on the Agenda)
Robeyns, Ingrid (B)An emancipation fee or hush money? The advantages and disadvantages of a basic income for women’s emancipation and well-being
(published in Basic Income on the Agenda)
Roos, Nikolas (NL)Basic Income and the justice of taxationSalinas, Claudio Caesar (ARG), with Philippe Van Parijs
Basic income and its cognates. Puzzling equivalence and unheeded differences between alternative ways of addressing the new social question (published in Basic Income on the Agenda) Scharpf, Fritz (D)
Basic Income and Social Europe
(published in Basic Income on the Agenda)
Schutz, Robert (US)More Basic IncomeSerati, M. (IT), with E. Chiappero & F. Silva
Basic income: an insidious trap or a fruitful chance for the Italian labour market?Silva, F. (IT) ), with E. Chiappero & M. Serati
Basic income: an insidious trap or a fruitful chance for the Italian labour market?Smith, Jeffery (US)
From Potlatch to EarthshareStanding, Guy (SWI)
Seeking Equality of Security in the Era of GlobalisationTerraz, Isabelle
Redistributive Impact of a Basic Income: A Focus on Women’s SituationVan Parijs, Philippe (B), with Claudio Caesar Salinas
Basic income and its cognates. Puzzling equivalence and unheeded differences between alternative ways of addressing the new social question (published in Basic Income on the Agenda) Widerquist, Karl (US)
Reciprocity and the guaranteed income


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The North American Basic Income Guarantee Congress has been cancelled because of Covid-19

The North American Basic Income Guarantee Congress has been cancelled because of the Covid-19 virus. The organizers have released the following announcement:

With great dismay, we must announce that the NABIG 2020 Congress in Hamilton, Ontario in May will no longer be possible, due to public health concerns related to COVID-19.

Within the last few days, developments in the United States, Canada, the greater Toronto and Hamilton region, and announcements from the World Health Organization have made this decision the only responsible course of action.

I want to sincerely thank all those people in several countries who have contributed to the Congress, from organizers and speakers, to everyone who submitted workshop proposals, local organizations and interested individuals everywhere who were hoping to attend. It is extremely disappointing to make this decision as we have put so much work into NABIG 2020 but it would be far worse to continue when there is no possibility of holding the kind of successful event we wanted this to be and when we could be putting people at risk by doing so.

We at BICN and USBIG are considering this a postponement but are not yet able to tell you what will happen in the future because we cannot know the extent of the health and economic impact COVID-19 will have and for how long. Please be assured, however, that we and our partners are already thinking about other dates, alternative kinds of events or formats and the potential for other initiatives to keep the basic income movement strong.

Please take good care and be well,

Sheila Regehr, on behalf of the NABIG 2020 Planning Committee


To get in touch with BICN please contact our General Manager, Ben Earle by email at info@basicincomecanada.org.

https://www.basicincomecanada.org/

The Fall and Rise of the Basic Income Movement: My personal reflections after following it for 40 years

Forty years ago today—February 7, 1980—was a small milestone for the Universal Basic Income (UBI) movement: Milton and Rose Friedman dedicated an episode of their television show to a form of basic income guarantee called the Negative Income Tax. This episode might have been the last gasp of the UBI movement’s second wave, which came very close to the centers of power in the United States and Canada in the 1960s and early 70s but had been declining for nearly a decade.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/5a/Free_to_Choose.jpg

I’m a little embarrassed that this TV show and its accompanying book was my entry into the UBI movement because I disagree with the Friedmans on so many other issues now, but I have to give them credit.

Although Friedman brought his fame and Nobel-Laureate credibility to UBI and related policies, that broadcast did little to stop the decline in UBI’s popularity. It gradually vanished from mainstream politics in the United States and in most countries. It remained an idea for academics, minor parties, fringe activists for decades, only to emerge—seemingly out of nowhere—as a growing worldwide movement over the last 10 years.

So, that day wasn’t a huge milestone for the UBI movement. But it was a big day for me. It was my 15th birthday. I watched the show. I was enthralled with the idea. So, today is my 55th birthday and 40th anniversary as a UBI supporter. That’s probably a good time to write a personal account of what it’s been like following the UBI movement as it fell and rose again.

I’ve written a history of UBI’s three waves of support already both as an op-ed and as an academic article. I’m not going to repeat what I said there. This personal account is about how it felt to watch the movement fall and rise.

Movements don’t come from nowhere even if they seem to. I realize now that the groundwork for UBI’s takeoff had been building since the mid-1980s even as it receded from the mainstream political dialogue, and even as the people involved had no way to know at the time. I can’t take any credit for UBI’s rise, but I followed it very closely, so maybe my personal account will be useful.

Although I was a firm supporter from 1980, I couldn’t do much for the UBI movement, because there wasn’t much of one, and I had to go through high school and college. Then I bounced around between crappy, low-paid jobs for three years, before starting graduate school.

The two things I could do for UBI in that period were think and talk about it. The more I thought about it, and the more I learned about politics and economics, the stronger my support became. I began to see UBI as the centerpiece of a just society.

1980 was a depressing time to become a UBI supporter—especially in the United States. There were small waves of support for it in various places around the world during this period and an intellectual movement for UBI began growing in parts of Europe by the mid-80s, but none of that news reached me in the USA. There was no internet. I had the mainstream media, the library, and word of mouth, which was nearly useless.

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Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan

I found myself arguing for an increasingly unpopular idea. As the memory of its popularity in the 60s and 70s faded, fewer and fewer people even knew what it was. Politicians like Ronald Reagan in the USA and Margaret Thatcher in the UK were slowly but successfully dismantling the welfare systems in their countries and vilifying just about everyone who qualified for benefits. People to the left-of-center were so much on the defensive that they were afraid to admit that the current welfare model needed improvement, because they were afraid any admission like that would make it more vulnerable to attack. Left-of-center people often argued that unconditionality was good in the abstract but political support for “the work ethic” was so strong that the only way to make sure benefits were adequate and safe from attack was to direct them exclusively to “the truly needy.”

The obvious weakness of this indirect argument amazes me. Almost all benefits in the USA, the UK, and many other countries, have been based on the model of separating the “truly needy” from the “undeserving poor” since their inception, but they have seldom if ever been adequate, and never free from attack.

Even some nominally left-of-center parties joined in, such as in 1996 when Bill Clinton led a bipartisan effort to “end welfare as we know it,” which basically meant reducing or eliminating benefits for the poorest children in the country because supposedly their mothers were bad people for taking care of children instead of “working.” Never mind that minimum wages weren’t enough to get single mothers or their children out of poverty, much less pay for child care. Never mind that this popular belief coincided with an equally popular belief that mothers whose husbands had money were bad people because they “worked” instead of taking care of children.

Watching things get worse for the least advantaged galvanized my opposition to conditions. Money is power. Propertylessness is powerlessness. Our society uses a judgmental, punitive system to force the least advantage to work for poverty wages. So, my support for UBI as a 31-year-old recent PhD in 1996 was as strong or stronger than it had been as a 15-year-old high school freshmen in 1980, and by now I had some of the skills I needed to work on it in the way I most wanted to—as an academic researcher. There are an infinite number of ways to contribute to a movement. So, I did what I thought I could do well.

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Michael A. Lewis

My entry into the UBI movement began in the summer of 1996 while having breakfast the 7A Diner with Michael A. Lewis and Pam Donovan—two other recent PhDs and from the City University of New York. We’d been talking about politics a lot throughout our grad-school years. We had very different perspectives, but that day we all agreed that UBI or something like it was the most important social policy our country could introduce it right now.

Pam said, “then we have to write a paper on it.”

Pam was too busy to collaborate a paper together, but Michael and I had the time. We wrote the paper, and we have been collaborators on-and-off ever since. The feeling that I wasn’t the only one left in the world willing to work for this policy was great. It got my started writing on this issue, and I’ve been doing it ever since.

When Michael and I had a draft of a paper (that would take ten years to publish), we looked through academic journals in our fields (economics and sociology) to find people who’d written recently on the issue, and asked them for feedback. We had to search under at least a half dozen different names (guaranteed income, social dividend, etc.) because UBI had not yet emerged as the standard term. But we found about 20 people’s names and email address. We began getting to know people working on this topic.

https://scontent-dfw5-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t31.0-8/13323810_1052608634776863_8483532090655692017_o.png?_nc_cat=104&_nc_ohc=YJtwl_pCytsAX9WodZ0&_nc_ht=scontent-dfw5-2.xx&oh=41880b8f77a3740d8bd159609057e2ef&oe=5ED63CFDIn 1997, while I was working at the Levy Institute of Bard College in upstate New York, Malcolm Sawyer asked if I new about the Basic Income European Network (BIEN), as it was then called. I soon learned BIEN had been holding conferences on this idea since 1986. I got online and made plans to attended the next BIEN Congress, which was in Amsterdam in 1998. I can’t describe the feeling of being in a room with of several hundred UBI supporters after 18 years feeling like I was the only one. I’ve attended every BIEN Congress since.

At the conference, I was a new PhD, just getting started, with zero publications. So, I was a little nervous when I introduced myself to the organizer, Robert van der Veen, one of the key UBI researchers whose work had helped bring this issue back into the academic dialogue a dozen years earlier.

But when I thanked him for the work he’d done organizing the conference, he looked at my name tag and said, “And thank you. It was when I got your proposal, that I knew there would be at least one good paper at this conference.”

That comment gave me confidence that I had something to contribute. I hope that helps me remember to compliment others.

I also spoke to another key researcher, the secretary of BIEN, Philippe Van Parijs. I asked him how I could get involved with the network. Because BIEN was a European organization at the time, he said they really needed Americans to organize something like BIEN in the United States. Michael and I had a mailing list of about 20 interested people. That’s a start.

https://i0.wp.com/usbig.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/USBIG-logo-1.png?resize=227%2C155&ssl=1 In December 1999, several people from that mailing list happened to be in New York at the same time. Six of us (Fred L. Block, Charles MA Clark, Erik Olin Wright, Pam, Michael and I met at the Kiev Diner and founded the U.S. Basic Income Guarantee Network (USBIG).

Because I was the only one who had time, they let me be coordinator and write the newsletter, eventually named the NewsFlash. That job gave me the opportunity to scour the internet for any UBI-related news I could find every two months. Sometimes it was hard to find, but I was surprised that there was always something to put in the NewsFlash. And that always put me in a good mood.

https://miro.medium.com/fit/c/256/256/0*ZgxaKgKYMweExdmL.

Jurgen De Wispelaere

I was the editor and main writer (sometimes the only writer) of the USBIG NewsFlash for it’s first 15 years, and it became a lot of work, but it also was a great education. It was a hard and sometimes thankless job, but I learned so much about the movement, it led to writing a lot of things that weren’t thankless, like writing this article, and collaborating on various  projects with Michael Howard and Jurgen De Wispelaere.

Ingrid van Niekerk

Former BIEN co-chair, Ingrid van Niekerk

From the early 2000s, I was all in with the UBI movement. I’ve attended every USBIG and BIEN and BIEN Congress since then. I’ve written as much as I could in UBI, and I volunteered for whatever I was able to do.When BIEN expanded from a “European” to an “Earth Network” in 2004, USBIG became an affiliate and several USBIG members, like Eri Noguchi, Almaz Zelleke, and me) joned the executive committe at various times. Eventually I was elected cochair along with Ingrid Van Niekerk, and later Louise Haagh.

Gradually, I became a recognizable part of the group of people working on UBI.

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BIEN chair, Louise Haagh

But the group didn’t even feel like a movement. It felt like a discussion forum. Most of the membership were academics, and even the activists didn’t have critical mass to organize many actions. Instead, they tended either to focus on policies that were steps in the direction of UBI or to write about UBI like the academics but in more accessible way.

The movement was not only small; it was greying. In the mid-2000s, Guy Standing, referred to me as one of “the young people.”

I said, “Guy, I’m like, 40 years old.”

But that was young enough to be one of the younger people at the BIEN Congress.

Guy Standing taking up the cause at Occupy Washington DC in 2011

Guy Standing–probably the most prolific author of UBI research–occupying Washing in 2011

Now that people in their teens and twenties working harder for UBI than anyone else, it’s hard to believe that as recently as 10 or 15 years ago, we were worried about getting young people involved. The movement was still made up mostly of die-hards from the second wave of UBI support, which had subsided more than 20 years earlier. I couldn’t even count myself as an exception because I learned about at the tail end of that wave of mainstream support. Maybe the UBI movement was the a ghost of Guaranteed Income movement of the 1960s.

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Michael Howard unconditionally supporting the umbrella

In retrospect, the perception that the movement would slowly die off is obviously wrong. Even though UBI was continuing to recede from the mainstream political dialogue in most countries, subtle signs that the movement was regaining strength were visible. The first national Basic Income network began in the UK in 1985. The first international conference was held in 1986 and it led to the foundation of the first international network, BIEN. Since then local, national, and international groups had been gradually appearing around Europe and around the world. Minor parties in Parliaments in various European countries and elsewhere had been gradually endorsing UBI.

Localized waves of mainstream interest in UBI came and went throughout this period in places like Denmark, the Netherlands, Canada, and South Africa. Even after these waves subsided, they left behind diehards who contributed to the growing international discussion and activism for UBI.

As USBIG’s Newsletter editor in the 2000s, I watched the subtle growth of the movement continue without really noticing that significance of its gradual acceleration. Not many other people did either. I never heard anyone saying this discussion and these actions are growing in a way that’s going to lead to a worldwide wave of UBI support that would make it a visible part of the mainstream political discussion across dozens of countries by in the 2010s.

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Allan Sheahen

In 2006, US two activists, Al Sheahen and Steven Shafarman got a member of U.S. Congress to submit a bill to introduce small UBI. This bill was supposed to part of a strategy to rally support and press attention to UBI. Despite a lot of lobbying efforts by Al, Steve, and a few others, only two Members of Congress signed on to support the bill; there was basically zero press attention to it and zero activism for it. No one bothered to reintroduce the bill in the 2007 Congress. And the two Members of Congress (Bob Filner and Jesse Jackson Jr.) both ended up convicted of unrelated crimes a few years later.

basic income, enno schmidt, ubi, switzerland, swiss basic income

Enno, Schmidt

But things were changing. Also 2006, Enno Schmidt and about a half dozen other people put paper crowns on the heads of passerbys in a public space in Switzerland and explaining the meaning of a too-often-forgotten UBI slogan “everyone a king.” Despite my doubts that it would lead anywhere, I was delightfully shocked that someone, somewhere was doing activism for UBI.

About that time, networks in Switzerland, Germany, and Austria created the first International Basic Income Week, which has grown every year since, and now takes place on all six inhabited contents. But it took me several years even to hear about it because it had no web-presence in English.

Zephania Kameeta, Namibian Minister of Poverty Eradication and former Bishop of the Lutheran Church of Namibia

At 2006 BIEN Congress, Zephania Kameeta, slammed his fist on the podiumand said, “Words, words, words. It’s time for action.” I was thinking, “Here we go again. Someone else is going to curse the people lighting candles in the darkness and tell them that they need to stop what they’re doing and start working on his idea.” But he instantly surprised. He announced he raised enough money to start a UBI pilot project in Namibia–the first such experience since 1980, and the forerunner of dozens that are happening now.

These days I look back at 2006 as the year that the UBI reached an inflection point and started to take off, but even following the news as closely as I was, I didn’t notice until 2012.

Before then, the news and research about UBI was small enough that I had time enough to read or listen to a lot of it, seemingly most of it, or at least most of the English-language stuff that seemed important to me. It was getting easier to fill the newsletter, but I felt like I had a good handle on it.

Yannick Vanderborght (à g.) et Philippe Van Parijs.

Yannick Vanderborght (& Philippe Van Parijs

In 2011, Yannick Vanderborght, Joerg Drescher, and I got together to create Basic Income News (BIEN’s news website) as a companion to the USBIG and BIEN NewsFlashes, which had been around since 1999 and 1986 respectively.

It went smoothly for about a year, but in 2012 Yannick, Joerg, and I all noticed something was happening. Suddenly, there was so much UBI-related news, that the three of us together couldn’t keep up with it.

The three of us knew that UBI was taking off. It’s been rising ever since.

I’d finally noticed that the third wave of UBI movement was happening. And the period in which I had to wonder whether the third wave was going to be as big as the second wave was extremely brief. In about 2010, I was asked to write a chapter called “Is Basic Income Still Worth Talking About?” (not my idea for a title and my answer was yes). But by the time book came out the question already sounded dated. More UBI activity was going around the world than at any time before.

The third wave dwarfs the second wave, and it’s the first genuinely worldwide wave of UBI support. I stepped down as editor of Basic Income News, five years ago (Andre Coelho took over), but I still follow the news as much as I can.

I discussed a dozen or so sources of this rise in another article. I won’t reiterate them here.

Barb Jacobson

Barb Jacobson, one of the many people who work on the European Citizens Initiative for UBI and helped turn it into UBI-Europe

Today, the wave continues to grow from multiple sources even as its most visible driver keeps shifting every couple of years. First, it was two activist-led experiments in Namibia and India. Next, it was two petition drives to get UBI on the ballot in Switzerland and the European Union. Then two campaigns together raised over a half million signatures, and the EU campaign organized in every single EU member state. Somebody took the time to ask people in Malta to gather signatures for UBI. Somebody in Malta said yes. And some people in Malta—along with 350,000 people across 18 other countries—signed.

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Look how small and out of the way that place is

After that, the media generated by those two initiatives inspired different kinds of activism around the world. Local, regional, national, and international groups seemed to appear everywhere.

At about the same time, the automation discussion exploded with tech industry people including some deep-pocketed and/or famous entrepreneurs, some of them used their position and resources to promote the idea. Then governments and large institutions around the world started running Basic Income experiments, sometimes in partnership with wealthy individuals or firms. So many experiments are now underway, it is hard to keep track.

Today, the most visible driver of the movement is Andrew Yang‘s campaign for U.S. Present. He’s the first major candidate to make UBI his central campaign issue. In

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Andrew Yang upholds UBI as the Freedom Dividend

the 1972 US election, both major-party nominees endorsed forms of UBI, but neither of them made much of an issue of it.

Writing for the USBIG Newsflash during the 2000-2008 elections, I was unable to find any U.S. major parties’ Presidential, Gubernatorial, or Congressional candidates (aside from the two jailbirds mentioned above) even being asked about the issue. The issue was endorsed by Green Party candidates (thanks in part to Steve), and it was in alive in top-level politics in some other countries. But mainstream U.S. politicians almost always either ignored it completely or distanced themselves from that radical idea.

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Steven Shafarman

In the 2012 and 2016 election cycles, mainstream politicians including Bernie Sanders, Barak Obama, and Hillary Clinton started being asked about it. Instead of feeling like they had to distance themselves from the idea, they tended to say favorable things about it while trying to convince UBI supporters that the most effective way to move in that direction right now was to join them in supporting some very non-UBI policies. That kind of response indicates that they recognized that UBI movement as worth courting, and that doing so was a net benefit over any negative they might get from association with an idea that had been too radical to touch since 1972—when even George McGovern quietly deemphasized it after receiving a difficult attack from Hubert Humphry in a primary debate.

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Scott Santens with Conrad Shaw (“the UBI guy”/filmmaker) in a good mood after the Basic Income March, October 26, 2019

Yang’s version of UBI is ambitious, but not as much as most UBI supporters want to see. However, he’s been inspired by and considers himself a part of the UBI movement. His plan is a start. He’s received dedicated support from one of the most prominent UBI activist-writers in the United States,  Scott Santens. Should UBI supporters endorse a candidate? I, for one, suggest we endorse the candidate who has endorsed us.

Yang’s campaign has raised UBI to greater prominence that it’s ever before received in the United States. It has forced all the Democratic candidates to state a position on the issue. He’s made it more difficult for other politicians to dismissively say nice things about the movement while trying to sell supporters on a non-UBI policy. If they’re not ready to endorse UBI right now, they have to explain why not, and often those arguments against UBI-now don’t look that great for people who see themselves as left-of-center. They sound reactionary and judgmental. If you’re serious about inequality, poverty, making sure everyone (no just the 1%) benefit from our prosperity: stop judging, start helping.

Yang supporters, the Humanity First Tour, Los Angeles, April 22, 2019

A small part of the Yang Gang in Los Angeles

Yang has built a network of “Yang Gangs” around America, and these groups are rallying around UBI more than any of Yang’s other policy proposals. Many dedicated members of the Yang Gang did not know what UBI was a year ago. Whether these gangs will grow into a long-term movement for UBI remains to be seen, but they’re giving a big boost to the UBI movement right now, and it’s spreading around the world.

Yang’s campaign has certainly reached more people than Milton Friedman’s TV show. Whatever happens it will leave behind many dedicated UBI supporters who will bring their ideas and enthusiasm to UBI research activism for a very long time. Maybe some of them will write articles in 2060, looking back on 40 years of activism–hopefully with a lot of successes to look back on.

Although Yang’s campaign is the most visible driver of the movement, right now, much more is going on–too much to chronicle. Experimental results will begin trickling out soon, and that will keep UBI in the news for years. Several documentaries about UBI are in production. UBI has become a major issue in India–especially in the state of Sikkim.

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James Felton Keith & Diane Pagen

James Felton Keith, a candidate for Congress in Harlem, recently teamed up with long-term UBI activists, such as Diane Pagen, to organized a Basic Income march in October 26, 2019 in New York. The idea quickly spread around the world: 30 cities heald UBI marches that weekend.

Two other candidates for Congress, Chivona Newsome in the Bronx, and Agatha Bacelar in San Fransisco participated in the march and have given UBI a prominent place in their platform. I’ve gotten to know J. F. Keith. He’s not just someone who’s willing to say something nice about UBI. He’s a part of the movement. His voice in Congress could greatly raise the prominence of the idea.

From 1980 to 1996, I was an isolated UBI supporter. Then I was part of what felt like an all-but-hopelessly marginalized group of UBI supporters for another 15 years or so. For nearly a decade, I’ve been a part of growing movement that seems to reach new milestones every few months. In the process, I’ve gone from being one of the kids of the movement to a member of the old guard. I’ve had the chance to speak about UBI on all five continents. I even got to speak at the 2019 UBI March in New York.

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Congressional candidate, Chivona Newsome, who is making UBI in issue

Being a respected part of this movement is the most satisfying part of my professional career. There is no group whose repect I value more. I hope everyone knows the respect is mutual. The chance to meet and correspond with so many people working for UBI in so many different ways has a been an adventure. The diversity of this group–so many people working in their own way on their own version of UBI or something like it–is what keeps this idea growing.

I’ve watched this movement grow with my mouth hanging open. Each success surprises me. People have given me and other visible members of the old guard way more credit for this wave of support than we deserve. Nobody saw this coming. Nobody said, this is what’s going to happen, and this is how we’ll do it. I can say that because I’ve attended most of the major UBI conferences since 1998.

Congressional candidate, Agatha Bacelar, who is making UBI an issue

Asking who should get the credit from the UBI movement is like asking which brick holds up the wall. The wall is the bricks. The movement is the people involved. The third wave of the UBI movement is being driven by extremely diverse support coming from all over the world for different reasons. The third wave is happening because a bunch of different people tried a bunch of different things–and some of it worked.

If you’ve said anything nice about UBI any time in the last 40 years, you helped build a movement. There’s no way to sort out who to credit and no point in trying.

We don’t know what happens next. This wave might be the one that makes UBI happen, but support might go into a period of decline for an unpredictable amount of time before picking up steam again. All I can say is whether the movement stalls or grows, don’t give up. Support has gone up and down several times, but it’s trended up for over 100 years. The diehards who kept working on UBI when it fell out of favor in their country made it into a bigger movement than it ever was before. It was that tiny group of people putting paper crowns on the heads of perplexed passerbys that started the snowball of activism that made it easy for the UBI march to spread all over the world. Or maybe 100 other little actions started the snowball.

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If you want to get involved, there are an infinite number of valuable things you could do. Find something other people aren’t doing or that we need more people doing. If you need ideas about what needs doing, I have lots of them.

I don’t know how long it will take, but I think UBI will win eventually. The conditional welfare state, extreme capitalism, and extreme socialism have consistently failed to solve the underlying problems of inequality, poverty, and privilege. The have failed because even if they know that property is power, they have failed to realize that propertylessness is powerlessness and that making powerlessness the default position of everyone but the 1% is the ultimate class privilege.

UBI March, New York, 2019

UBI March, New York, 2019. Photo by Franklin Chávez

As long as inequality, poverty, and privilege exist, so does the opportunity to build the movement for UBI. The struggle doesn’t end until justice wins. Justice doesn’t win until the privileged stop telling the poor what to do so we can end the powerlessness that makes so many people in world weak, vulnerable, and marginalized.
-Karl Widerquist, Hey Cafe, New Orleans Louisiana, February 7, 2020 (with parts writted earlier and in other places). Updated February 9, 2020

AUTHOR’S NOTE: This article makes no attempt to comprehensively cover the UBI movement. It’s the view from my perspective. It’s about the small slice of the enormous UBI movement that I’ve interacted with most closely. My apologies to the hundreds of dedicated people whose names just didn’t happen to come up.

That’s me giving my talk at the UBI March in the New York.