Good news !
Written by www.livableincome.org on 2007-06-29 17:37:26
I'm really glad to hear that as a worker my productivity went up not DOWN for once.
Cheers everyone.
4. FINLAND’S PRIME MINISTER SPEAKS FAVORABLY OF BIG
NewsRoom Finland reports that the prime minister of Finland, Matti
Vanhanen, of the Centre Party, said that the structure and level of
basic security should be reappraised, and that the current wide range of
benefits could be replaced by a basic income guarantee of about 600 or
700 euros per month. He argued, however, that BIG should be supplemented
by incentives to encourage those capable of work to enter the labor
market. According to NewsRoom Finland, “Mr Vanhanen's comment comes amid
a clash between the Social Democratic Party [SPD], the Centre's main
government partner, and the opposition Green League over guaranteed
minimum income.” The Finnish Greens accused the Social Democrats of
using made-up arguments to reject basic income. NewsRoom Finland
reported on February 26, “Finland's opposition Green League on Monday
accused the SDP of deploying trumped-up and populist arguments to reject
the idea of a guaranteed minimum income. The Greens' critique was a
response to a report by the Kalevi Sorsa foundation, an SDP-leaning
organization, faulting a basic income scheme as promoted by the Green
League. The leaders of the Green League said in a joint statement that
the foundation's report played down problems related to social security.
Ville Kopra, a researcher, says in the foundation's report that basic
income could endanger both universal validity on the labor market and
earnings-related unemployment security. The Greens say the Social
Democrats' resistance to change is dividing people into two classes
where only those in regular employment should enjoy sufficient basic
security.”
Two reports are on line at:
http://newsroom.finland.fi/stt/showarticle.asp?intNWSAID=15100&group=Politics
http://newsroom.finland.fi/stt/showarticle.asp?intNWSAID=15103&group=Politics
8. SEVERAL GERMANS ENDORSE BASIC INCOME
Several Germans have recently endorsed basic income. Ulrich Beck,
prominent sociologist in Germany and author of "The Risk Society," and
Kayja Kipping, chairperson of the left party PDS, have both endorsed
basic income as a way to give workers greater negotiating power to
demand more meaningful work. According to Kipping, many leftist are
uncomfortable with BIG because they suffer from “work fetishism.” Asked
to explain she replied, “Many think only paid work is a valuable
contribution. The ideology ‘whoever doesn't work should not eat' is
malicious. To me, this is a completely strange understanding of
contribution. Persons in the arms industry do social harm through paid
work. On the other hand, many activities that are not paid are important
for society.” Vienna. Should basic security be only for persons willing
to work and the needy? Ronald Blaschke , a philosopher, sociologist,
educator, and spokesperson of the German Basic Income Network also
argued for BIG and against work fetishism in an interview with Beate
Lammer on diepresse.com.
German businessman Gotz Werner argues has been arguing for basic income
in recent years. He renewed his support for BIG in an interview with the
daily die Tageszeitung, last November. The BIEN Newsletter published the
following excerpts from the interview:
Journalist: You speak very positively. You own over 1700 drug stores.
You have annual sales of 3.7 billion Euros. You are one of the 500
richest Germans.
Werner: That is untrue. Like almost all entrepreneurs, I wanted more and
more in the past. Today maximizing meaning is my top priority.
Journalist: Do you see the world with different eyes?
Werner: I have read the classics, Goethe, Schiller. I understand my own
success is not everything. I want to help others succeed. People are
central, not business. I try to imagine a positive world.
Journalist: "Nothing is stronger than an idea whose time has come," you say.
Werner: Victor Hugo said that. I only quoted him.
Journalist: Is the time right for your idea?
Werner: At least the idea could be discussed at last. Two years ago that
was something for a few experts. The halls are full when I give lectures
today.
Journalist: What has changed?
Werner: The old political slogans have nothing to do with the world
where people live. Unemployment grows despite temporary announcements of
success. Unbridled growth damages our resources. If Angela Merkel would
say "full employment" is possible, nobody would believe her any more…
Journalist: The unconditional basic income already has supporters in the
parties - from left to right. Why is this?
Werner: Because this is the most radical form of socialism and the most
radical form of capitalism. After one of my addresses, a listener wrote
to me: "Your basic income model has reconciled my socialist heart with
my neoliberal mind."
The full interview in German is available at:
http://www.taz.de/pt/2006/11/27/a0146.1/textdruck
An English translation is available at:
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2006/12/14/18337615.php
Other articles on BIG in Germany are on the web at:
http://portland.indymedia.org/en/2007/02/354533.shtml
http://portland.indymedia.org/en/2007/02/353198.shtml
http://portland.indymedia.org/en/2007/01/352187.shtml
http://www.diepresse.com/textversion_article.aspx?id=607979
http://www.mbtranslations.com
http://www.commondreams.org
http://www.freitag.de/2006/50/06501501.php.
9. EDUARDO SUPLICY OPTIMISTIC ABOUT BASIC INCOME IN CHINA
Brazilian Senator Eduardo Suplicy, one of the strongest supports of
basic income in any ruling government in the world, recently visited
China and reports substantial hope for the future of basic income in
China. Senator Suplicy spoke about basic income with several
highly-placed officials in the Chinese government. He found that
elements of universal, unconditional support exist in some current
Chinese anti-poverty programs, and that there is some hope the China
will move further in that direction. Suplicy also spoke with Professor
Tian Xiaobao, who is considered to be the first economist in China,
author of a 2006 book on Social Security in China.
According to Suplicy, “It was with Professor Tian Xiaobao that I had my
longest and very productive three hour conversation. After explaining
all the advantages of an unconditional basic income to him, after
describing experience of the Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend System and
the perspective of having such a system in Brazil, I asked him whether
he considered possible to think about having the institution of an
inconditional basic income for all 1 billion and 300 million or more
Chinese in the future. Professor Tain Xiaobao answered that he
considered the Basic Income a very sound and rational proposal, making
sense and being consistent with the objective of building a harmonious
society, such as advocated by Confucius 520 years before Christ. It is
also consistent with the objectives of today's Chinese government. He
told me, however, that to attain the objective of paying a basic income
to all Chinese, it would be required a time of preparation for the next
three quinquenal plans. Thus, a Basic Income would be desirable and
possible in 2020.” |
