by Karl Widerquist | Nov 20, 2013 | Research
This article begins a rather philosophical discussion of basic income with the following, “What if America were to scrap all its anti-poverty programmes—welfare, food stamps, unemployment benefits, the works—and replace them with an unconditional basic income (UBI) for everybody? Even in a Congress beset by less extraordinary levels of dysfunction, the idea would have little chance of becoming law. It’s fun to theorise, though. And if Switzerland approves a referendum to send all of its citizens $2,800 a month, the debate will have a fascinating new reference point.”
The Economist, “The check is in the mail: A government-guaranteed basic income,” The Economist, Nov 19th 2013.
The AP via the Economist
by Yannick Vanderborght | Nov 11, 2013 | Opinion
The 81 senators, representing the 27 units of the Federation, 16 political parties, including two former presidents of the Republic, one current and two former presidents of the Senate, two likely candidates for the Presidency, 20 ex-governors and 18 ex-mayors, have signed a letter to president Dilma Rousseff, handed in by me on October 25th, with a proposal: she should appoint a working group with the purpose of paving the way for the institution, step by step, starting with those most in need, of the Citizenship Basic Income (CBI), according to Law No. 10.835/2004, approved by all political parties in the Brazilian National Congress. It is the first country in the world where the parliament has approved a law to that effect.
On October 30th, in the Museum of the Republic, in Brasilia, there was a ceremony to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the Bolsa Família Program implementation, which has crucially contributed to the eradication of extreme poverty and to the reduction of inequality in Brazil. This program can be seen as a step towards the CBI.
Next January 8th, the law establishing the CBI will celebrate its tenth anniversary. It is important, therefore, that people who have contributed to the study of income transfer programs can collaborate for this purpose, such as Professor Paul Singer, Secretary of the Solidarity Economy of the Ministry of Labor and Employment since 2003.
Professor Singer will be able to work in close cooperation with ministers Tereza Campello (Social Development), Miriam Belchior (Planning) and Marcelo Neri (Strategic Affairs) and with Ana Maria Medeiros da Fonseca, first Executive Secretary of the Bolsa Família – people who have contributed to its creation and to the formulation of policies in the area.
International experts may also be invited. One of them could be Professor Philippe Van Parijs, who founded the “Basic Income Earth Network” and follows the development of international experiences of implementing the CBI in the European Union, India, Iran, Namibia, Alaska, Switzerland, and other countries. The pioneer 30-year experience in Alaska has made it the most equal of American States.
The proposal, enthusiastically signed by each and every senator, including the opposition leaders and presidential candidates, is consistent with what has been formulated by some 300 scholars from Brazil and from abroad, who have recently participated in the International Conference of the Center for Psychopathology and Public Policy, at the University of São Paulo, on Democratic Inventions: Constructions of Happiness, and who have also signed a letter to president Dilma with the same purpose. Professor Marilena Chaui was one of the most enthusiastic subscribers.
We have had great achievements in the Workers Party’s last ten years of government, featuring the improvement of the disadvantaged populations’ living conditions. The 81 senators’ voices will allow the president to take a leap and achieve her goal of eradicating extreme poverty, building a fair nation, strengthening women’s safety and providing dignity to all Brazilians.
by Karl Widerquist | Oct 11, 2013 | Research
[Craig Axford]
Fulfilling One Of Martin Luther King Jr.'s Dreams: A Basic Income Guarantee -International Business Times
In this recent post in The Hill, Alan Sheahen reminds us that a basic income guarantee (BIG) is not a new idea. Dr. Martin Luther King advocated for it writing in 1967 “I am now convinced that the simplest solution to poverty is to abolish it directly by a new widely discussed measure: the guaranteed income.” In 1969, a Presidential Commission voted 22-0 in favour of the concept, and in 1972 the Democratic Party included BIG in its platform. Sheahen argues it’s time we revisited a basic income guarantee. “The U.S. is a wealthy nation…A basic income guarantee would establish economic security as a universal right.”
Allan Sheahen, “Fulfilling One Of Martin Luther King Jr.’s Dreams: A Basic Income Guarantee,” International Business Times, August 20 2013 1:51 PM
Reprinted as: Allan Sheahen, “America needs a basic income guarantee” The Hill, August 21, 2013
by Karl Widerquist | Aug 31, 2013 | News
Roisin Mulligan of Dublin, Ireland won the Basic Income Studies (BIS) Essay Prize for papers presented at the 14th Basic Income Earth Network (BIEN) Congress held in Munich, Germany in September 2012. She received the award for her paper entitled “UBI and Recognition Theory – A Tangible Step towards an Ideal.”
The BIS Essay Prize is organized by BIS in association with BIEN. The prize encourages promising research on basic income and related policies and is awarded to an essay that exemplifies a high standard of quality and original basic income research. The prize winner’s paper is published as an article in BIS.
Two additional individuals who presented papers at Munich received honorable mention. They are (in alphabetical order): Dr. Tomohiro Inoue, Tokyo, Japan, “The economic sustainability of a Basic Income under the Citizen-oriented Monetary Regime” and Dr. Nam Hoon Kang, Seoul, South Korea, “The necessity and distributional effects of ecological basic income in Korea.”
