Basic Income News & Developments

Finland planning to test the effects of paying a basic income

Finland is pushing ahead with a plan to test the effects of paying a basic income as it seeks to protect state finances and move more people into the labour market.

The Social Insurance Institution of Finland, known as Kela, will be responsible for carrying out the experiment that would start in 2017 and include 2,000 randomly selected welfare recipients, according to a statement released Thursday. The level of basic income would be €560 a month ($816 Canadian), tax free and mandatory for those picked.

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http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/international-business/european-business/finland-planning-to-test-the-effects-of-paying-a-basic-income/article31563989/


A Basic Income Could Lift Canadians Out Of Food Poverty

Hunger Awareness Week invites us to not only talk about the problem of hunger in Canada, but to think about how we can address it. At the Ontario Association of Food Banks, our long-term vision has always been a hunger-free Ontario. Next summer, this dream may inch a little closer to becoming a reality.

In the 2016 Budget, the Ontario government had a few lines about a very big project: a proposal for a pilot project to test the effects of basic income (or guaranteed annual income) in a few Ontario communities. This summer, former Conservative Senator Hugh Segal led consultations on what shape this pilot might take, and is set to publicly release a report on his findings in the next few weeks.

Basic income is an idea that dates back to the 16th century but has seen a renewed popularity over the last few years from both sides of the political spectrum. It already exists in some form in Canada via the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) for seniors and the Canada Child Benefit (CCB) for families with children, but the proposal on the table is for something much more universal.

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http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/ontario-association-of-food-banks/basic-income_b_12107622.html


Universal basic income debate gains traction in the EU

Against the backdrop of the “fundamental transformation of the world of work”, Commissioner for Employment Marianne Thyssen is paying close attention to “free money” experiments ahead of a discussion next year with member states on how to improve social policies.

“It is crucial to look closely at these changes and ask ourselves how we can reinforce our labour law, social protection and labour market institutions to stand the test of the digital economy and support people to make the best out of the opportunities it offers,” Thyssen told EurActiv.com.

Despite the fact that the European Commission cannot propose legislation on an issue such as the universal basic income, Thyssen commented that the executive “is following with great interest the developments” of a pilot project run in Finland.

The Finnish experiment, which will take place in 2017, is expected to involve between 5,000 and 10,000 citizens. They will get paid a basic income of €500 to €700 a month – at least one fourth of the average income in the country.

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https://www.euractiv.com/section/social-europe-jobs/news/the-debate-on-universal-basic-income-gains-traction-in-the-eu/


Basic Income Might Be The Answer To Society's Productivity Crisis

With the decline of manufacturing jobs, and the onset of automation to take over almost all kinds of work, society is on the hunt for a long-term, scalable solution to our future productivity.
What will happen to displaced workers? How will mass unemployment hurt our increasingly globalized economy?

One concept, a universal basic income, has been debated by thinkers as far back as the 16th century. The theory suggests that a flat income, given to every citizen regardless of employment or societal status, will allow society to pursue the work it really believes in. Can a monthly universal stipend help citizens take care of basic needs while pursuing new opportunities?

I spoke with Scott Santens, a New Orleans based writer who is studying and championing the adoption of basic income policies and processes. Santens’ ideas and opinions have been published in the Huffington Post, TechCrunch, and the Boston Globe. He also claims to earn a basic income for his work via the Patreon creative crowdsourcing platform.
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http://www.forbes.com/sites/kaviguppta/2016/09/22/basic-income-might-be-the-answer-to-societys-productivity-crisis/#6138aec076ca