Initiative for a Basic Income
Basic income, to my mind, is exactly the type of idea that can change the world for the better. It over-looks the established rhetoric and instead focuses on a purely pragmatic, evidence based policy. Our current social security system is based on determining who is and who isn't worthy of support. This results in resentment, enforced poverty and homelessness, inequality, instability of market forces, creates barriers preventing people from working and what's more, it requires an enormous amount of unnecessary bureaucracy and administration costs. The idea being that people need to be motivated in to work, work being equal to productivity however in the post-industrial society we currently live in, that paradigm no longer applies. The job market is simply no longer strong enough to support everyone and as we move beyond an economy based on manufacturing, employment is no longer directly linked to productivity. The beauty of basic income is it does away with all of these problems inherent in the system, simply by addressing the issue from a different angle. By granting every citizen a basic income unconditionally we can save so much on administration costs that it needn't cost any more to guarantee that everyone can afford to eat, pay their rent and heat their homes (in one of the richest nations on Earth it should be a national shame that so many are facing poverty and homelessness in Britain today). It would also allow people currently in poverty to participate culturally and thereby stimulate economic growth. By removing the assumed 'need' to 'earn a living' people will have more time which could be spent raising children, supporting sick or disabled relatives or working on community projects thereby reducing dependence on state programs. It would also enable artists, musicians, scientists and inventors again, boosting the economy and general societal well-being through culture and innovation. Of course their would still be work to do and those that enjoy the finer things in life or simply find that having a job gives them purpose would be more easily be able to find work and earn more money because the job market would not be under so much strain. This isn't just a theory either, it's be tried and tested and it works. We are now at a point in human history where a great change is inevitable since capitalism is failing to service the vast majority of our societies needs. Basic income is a means to ensure that we change for the better, towards a world of cultural and technological advances. It's time for human society to evolve and a revolution is becoming increasingly inevitable. Help make our new society a peaceful, just and creative one. Follow the links below to learn more and to find out how you can get involved and make a change whose times has come.
At the moment there is an European Initiative to get 1 million signatures to force the European Parliament to study the Unconditional Basic Income proposal.
Support the Initiative
Join the Campaign
Basic income, to my mind, is exactly the type of idea that can change the world for the better. It over-looks the established rhetoric and instead focuses on a purely pragmatic, evidence based policy. Our current social security system is based on determining who is and who isn't worthy of support. This results in resentment, enforced poverty and homelessness, inequality, instability of market forces, creates barriers preventing people from working and what's more, it requires an enormous amount of unnecessary bureaucracy and administration costs. The idea being that people need to be motivated in to work, work being equal to productivity however in the post-industrial society we currently live in, that paradigm no longer applies. The job market is simply no longer strong enough to support everyone and as we move beyond an economy based on manufacturing, employment is no longer directly linked to productivity. The beauty of basic income is it does away with all of these problems inherent in the system, simply by addressing the issue from a different angle. By granting every citizen a basic income unconditionally we can save so much on administration costs that it needn't cost any more to guarantee that everyone can afford to eat, pay their rent and heat their homes (in one of the richest nations on Earth it should be a national shame that so many are facing poverty and homelessness in Britain today). It would also allow people currently in poverty to participate culturally and thereby stimulate economic growth. By removing the assumed 'need' to 'earn a living' people will have more time which could be spent raising children, supporting sick or disabled relatives or working on community projects thereby reducing dependence on state programs. It would also enable artists, musicians, scientists and inventors again, boosting the economy and general societal well-being through culture and innovation. Of course their would still be work to do and those that enjoy the finer things in life or simply find that having a job gives them purpose would be more easily be able to find work and earn more money because the job market would not be under so much strain. This isn't just a theory either, it's be tried and tested and it works. We are now at a point in human history where a great change is inevitable since capitalism is failing to service the vast majority of our societies needs. Basic income is a means to ensure that we change for the better, towards a world of cultural and technological advances. It's time for human society to evolve and a revolution is becoming increasingly inevitable. Help make our new society a peaceful, just and creative one. Follow the links below to learn more and to find out how you can get involved and make a change whose times has come.
At the moment there is an European Initiative to get 1 million signatures to force the European Parliament to study the Unconditional Basic Income proposal.
Support the Initiative
Join the Campaign