by Andre Coelho | Jan 22, 2015 | Research
Results from this recently published article show that basic income within all Spanish territory can be financed at approximately 7500 € per year for each adult person and 20% of that value for each child. The authors state none of the basic state functions (e.g.: education, health) need cuts in order to finance basic income, with reforms in taxation and savings from all benefits already given by the state, which need not exist when the basic income is implemented, paying for its implementation.
Language: Spanish
Jordi Arcarons, Antoni Domènech, Daniel Raventós, Lluís Torrens, “Un modelo de financiación de la Renta Básica para el conjunto del Reino de España: sí, se puede y es racional [A basic income finance model for all Spanish Kingdom: yes, it can be done and is rational]“, Sinpermisso, December 7 2014
by Liam Upton | Nov 30, 2014 | News
Podemos, the Spanish party which stormed into first place in recent opinion polls and who previously declared support for a Universal Basic Income, have left the propsal out of a recent document outlining their economic plans.
The leader of Podemos Pablo Iglesias presents his economic proposal -Demotix
The party, which only launched earlier this year, gained prominence with a number of radical proposals including reducing the retirement age to 60 and nationalising all utility companies. Their economic document, released Thursday, was seen as a test for the party, whether or not it could formulate a coherent set of policies. Despite the radical tone of initial party statements, some of the more radical policies were left off the document, including Basic Income.
This is a blow to the Basic Income movement, with Podemos previously looking set to become the first party supporting Basic Income to win an election in Europe, an election which is due in Spain before the end of 2015. However, it doesn’t mean the party has stopped supporting the proposal, merely that it has not been placed on this document, which is not a full manifesto. They mentioned at the press conference to launch the document that they wanted it based on ‘realistic proposals’. The party also wants to ensure that the document is available to all members and allows access to the public to read. They have stated that they will try to use ‘Filecenter to scan my docs‘ or similar services to ensure that it is open to public access, as accessibility to the public is important.
Basic Income has been gaining ground politically in the last year, despite this setback there are still a number of parties supporting Basic Income or pilot programmes which have considerable support in other parts of the world, including Canada, Finalnd and New Zealand.
The leader of Podemos Pablo Iglesias presents his economic proposal -Demotix
For more information, see:
Language: Spanish: Vicenç Navarro, Juan Torres “Un Proyecto Económico para La Gente [An Economic Project for the People]“, Podemos, 27 November 2014
Matthew Bennet, “A Look At The New Podemos Economic Document“, The Spain Report, 28 November 2014
Hugo Ortuño, “The leader of Podemos, Pablo Iglesias presents his economic proposal“, Demotix, 27 November 2014
by Toru Yamamori | Nov 23, 2014 | News
[Toru Yamamori]
Recent poll shows Podemos (We Can) is most supported party in Spain. Podemos was a newly emerged political party in January 2014 out of Indignados, the anti-austerity movement similar to the Occupy Wall Street. The party endorses BIG and got five seats in European Parliament Election in May 2014. According to the poll released November 1st by the Spanish newspaper El Pais, The party got 27.7%, ahead to the opposition Socialist Party 26.2% and to the ruling party Popular Party 20.7%.
Podemos -from the Volunteer via Newshub
For more information, see:
Mike Pope, “Podemos is the most popular political party in spain” The News Hub Beta, November 2, 2014.
Julian Toyer, “Poll lead for newcomer shakes up Spain’s political system” Reuters, November 2, 2014.
To read more on Podemos and BIG, see:
Karl Widerquist, “SPAIN: New political party that endorses big takes five seats in european parliament” Basic Income News, June 1, 2014.
by Karl Widerquist | Sep 25, 2014 | Research
This article responds to those who disparage the poor and calls for a basic income. Ranventos and Wark write, “There is increasing awareness that the most basic human right, on which all the rest depend, is the right to exist and, for that to be possible, everybody must have an income above the poverty line. This, in a nutshell, is an unconditional, universal basic income for every single citizen and resident in the country. It is no longer seen as “utopian” or “hare-brained” as the well-to-do and their cronies have claimed in the past. More and more people understand that this guarantee is necessary for a truly democratic society. The obstacles faced by Basic Income have been political, just as they were (or are, depending on the place) in the cases of universal suffrage, paid holidays, and the rights to strike, to abortion and to same-sex marriage.”
Daniel Raventós is a lecturer in Economics at the University of Barcelona and author inter alia of Basic Income: The Material Conditions of Freedom (Pluto Press, 2007). He is on the editorial board of the international political review Sin Permiso. Julie Wark is an advisory board member of the international political review Sin Permiso. Her last book is The Human Rights Manifesto (Zero Books, 2013).
Daniel Raventos and Julie Wark, “Disparaging the Poor: From Badmouthing and Sterilization to a Reclaimed Right of Existence.” Counter Punch, September 12, 2014
Counter Punch
by Karl Widerquist | Jun 1, 2014 | News
[Karl Widerquist]
Podemos, a new Spanish political party that includes unconditional basic income (UBI) as won of its main economic policy objectives, has one five seats in the European Parliament. Organized barely three months before elections for the European, the party seemed to come out of nowhere to a win nearly 8% of the vote (1.2 million votes) and finish in fourth place in the elections held on May 25, 2014.
"Podemos' leader Pablo Iglesias, centre, is applauded as he introduces the fledgling party in Madrid, Spain, earlier this year." Photograph: Andrea Comas/Reuters -via the Guardian
Podemos (which means “we can”) grew out of the anti-austerity protest movement known as Indignados. It claims to be a party of ordinary citizens who desire a fundamental change in the political process toward greater democracy, freedom, and social protection. The Guardian quoted the Party’s leader, Pablo Iglesias, “It’s citizens doing politics. If the citizens don’t get involved in politics, others will. And that opens the door to them robbing you of democracy, your rights and your wallet.” Party leaders promise to accept a salary of no more than three times the Spanish minimum wage.
The party also supports doing away with tax havens, a maximum salary, the reduction of the working week to 35 hours, more protection for workers against dismissal, and lowering the retirement age to 60. According to GlobalVoices, “The objective [of Podemos] is to dismantle the austerity measures put in place by the different governments that have been in power. To strengthen and increase citizens’ rights to political participation, education, housing, health and the fight against corruption are the core elements of the party’s programme.”
For more on Podemos, see the following articles:
Thomas G. Clarke, “How the rise of Podemos in Spain should be an inspiration for the progressive left in the UK.” Another Angry Voice. May 28, 2014
Ashifa Kassam, “Podemos hopes to cement rise of citizen politics in Spain after election success.” The Guardian, 27 May 2014
Cristina Flesher Fominaya, “‘Spain is Different’: Podemos and 15-M.” OpenDemocracy. 29 May 2014
Elena Arrontes. “The Rise of ‘Podemos’ in Spain, the Citizen’s Party.” GlobalVoices. Translated by Kitty Garden, 1 June 2014
Pablo Iglesias in debate, February, 2014 Demotix/Nacho Goytre. Via OpenDemocracy
