BIEN | Opinion
Opinion Posts
Here you will find articles expressing opinions about current issues in the Basic Income debate. Opinions expressed are not necessarily the opinions of BIEN.
The Universality Argument for Basic Income
Imagine a room with a thousand people. You know that 999 of them need something to survive, and one of them doesn’t. You have two options. Option one: give the same thing to all 1,000 people, and when they leave through a door where everyone’s income is already being...
Top 10 Universal Basic Income Articles of 2024
As the editor of Basic Income Today and a moderator for the Basic Income subreddit, I read a lot of stuff every year about UBI, somewhere around 100 articles a month. Below, I've compiled a list of the top ten articles I consider my favorites out of everything...
Is it time for basic income in Pakistan?
Photo by Hamid Roshaan on Unsplash Social assistance is everywhere conditional, and in Pakistan it is no different. Either it comes with behavioural strings attached — ‘do this and we’ll help you, don’t and we won’t’ — or it is targeted, with receipt conditional on...
Climate Justice Without Borders
How Cap and Share can end fossil fuel extraction, raise trillions for climate finance, and create a global universal basic income. To read more, click here.
Why social assistance shouldn’t come with strings attached
"When the authorities provide social assistance to those in need, it almost always comes with conditions attached. These include behavioural requirements or criteria determining who is and isn’t eligible for support. Common examples include proving that you’re looking...
Doing Bitcoin the Basic Income Way
Photo by Traxer on Unsplash "...there are on the horizon two radical ideas that have the potential to create synergy which can revolutionize the way we are currently addressing the income vulnerability and different forms of deprivation in the world today. The two...
Rentier Capitalism, the Precariat and Basic Income for China
Throughout history, capitalism has evolved, changing character and changing the class structure defining each era. The changes in the 20th century can be understood by reference to what Karl Polanyi called the Great Transformation. Briefly, in his formulation, in the 19th century, mainly in Britain, there was an initial period in the evolution of industrial capitalism that was dominated by financial capital, in which old systems of distribution, regulation and social protection were dismantled, in what we would call the pursuit of a ‘free market economy’.
How Basic Income Can Support Climate Tech Solutions
The evolution of climate action has reflected the need for affordable options. Universal basic income (UBI) has the unique opportunity to empower everyone to change the world. The warming environment necessitates rapid development and deployment of climate...
Revolutionizing Rural China: Shareholding Reforms as a Catalyst for Economic Empowerment
China's ongoing rural reforms are fostering practices akin to basic income, offering dividends to residents in the vast countryside. This development draws a parallel to the broader discussion of basic income within the context of China's social security system and...
Chinese youth ‘optimistic’ toward basic income
In a recent study conducted examining attitudes among Chinese youth towards basic income, notable findings emerged, highlighting both a lack of comprehensive understanding and a positive disposition towards the concept. The study, conducted through a questionnaire by...
A Four-Sentence Argument for Basic Income
My main perspective is an argument with four premises: 1. It's wrong for anyone to come between anyone else and the resources they need to survive in almost all circumstances. 2. Freedom is the power to say no. 3. A private property economy (or a socialist economy)...
Unified Basic Income: A Viable Solution for Israel and Palestine?
While the proposition may appear daunting, the exploration of Universal Basic Income (UBI) for both Israelis and Palestinians is certainly worthwhile. Given the sustained conflicts in the region — from bombings in Gaza to raids in villages — and the current Israeli...
BIEN Congresses
The next annual BIEN Congress will occur August 19th-22th at the Toronto Metropolitan University. The BIEN Congress will not be occurring in USA this year.
Theme: Basic Income and the Polycrisis: The Key to Unlocking the Puzzle 🔑
See pictures from the 24th BIEN CONGRESS in Maricá & Niterói here.
