99% of people want to improve their lives. And the UBI wont prevent them from wanting it. So if such projects prevent them from having to do terrible jobs, this is positive, says Guy Standing told EURACTIV Poland.
Professor Guy Standing is a professorial research associate at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London and co-president at the Basic Income Earth Network (BIEN).
Standing spoke to EURACTIV.pl Editor-in-Chief Karolina Zbytniewska.
Universal basic income (UBI) means money received unconditionally by everyone in a community. How do we afford such a universal social benefit?
UBI can be justified morally and philosophically, which outweighs any arguments from the field of economic efficiency. It is a matter of eradicating poverty, and more generally of ensuring social justice.
Many liberal economists would argue that at least in Western democracies we live in open, classless and casteless societies, where everyone can rise from rags to riches, as the American dreams slogan goes. It is social justice, theoretically.
However, the truth is that our wealth and income are much more influenced by our parents and older generations than by our own actions. Since so much depends on private inheritance there is a need for a social dividend.
We are not born equal, both in terms of talents and socio-economic background, which determines our situation. But also setting where we develop is determined externally.
And so we move to another fundamental argument for UBI ecological justice. Rich people make money by polluting and depleting natural resources, while poor people and more generally the precariat are the ones who experience this pollution. Taking this into account, UBI would constitute compensation for suffering from profit-making side effects.
Social justice is not the end of positives, however. UBI enhances freedom, which is lacking especially today in the times of ubiquitous control. And the essence of republican freedom is the right to say NO. NO to a humiliating job I dont want. NO to a nasty boss or inhuman conditions. NO to controlling bureaucracy at a social security office.
This is the emancipatory effect of UBI. Not having to humiliate oneself every month to receive unemployment benefit or other social support in situation of poverty.
Theres also the third fundamental advantage of implementing UBI it simply increases human capacity and social capital. The feeling of insecurity diminishes intelligence and its impossible to make rational decisions if you feel insecure. And reversely, the feeling of security increases our mental competence, our general understanding, our tolerance and altruism.
UBI has been now implemented as a pilot project in Finland 2,000 randomly chosen unemployed Finns are receiving 560 euros a month for a 2-year-period since 1 January.
The Finnish experiment does not test UBI.
Because it is not universal but, designed only for the unemployed.
Indeed. And I can already tell the results will be positive it will confirm that it is not necessary to press people to take a job. However, there were and are going on other pilots around the world, much closer to being pure UBI experiments, including three in India. Those programs were so successful that the Indian government is considering UBI implementation on a regular basis. According to the governmental study India can afford it, reverting present subsidies that dont reach the poor today.
Another experiment held in Ontario is also closer to the original idea of UBI, as the sampling method gathers the whole community and measures collective effects. It is very important, as if you give special treatment just to some in a given community, the others brother, uncle, neighbor will come to you for share.
They feel treated unjustly. And its not UBI then, just BI basic income.
This is the case in Finland. But if everyone receives UBI in the community, this imposes a moral pressure on people to act responsibly also on the children. So in my opinion it is important to design pilots as close to the real UBI as possible.
Still the experiment in Finland is a step in the right direction, as it removes the poverty trap, increases security, as well as provides incentive to take low-paid or part-time jobs without any bureaucratic pressure or reducing the benefit. Because under the present-day social security structure the unemployed, the poor are under pressure to do what bureaucrats want.
Is it not so that UBI is not a solution for every culture? In Poland we have one of the lowest levels of social capital in Europe, with minimal public and private trust, which often translates into low social responsibility. Decades of Communism are to blame. So when we see men drinking cheap wine outside a shop theres a tendency to think that alcohol is paid by benefits.
Basic income experiments around the world, whether in South or North America, or in Africa, or in India, or in Japan demonstrate that when people have basic security when they know they will be able to pay their rent and get food they become more responsible, and actually spend less on alcohol, drugs and tobacco.
Such a kind of drunkard lumpenisation you mention has many reasons. It is a symptom of a social illness, of having dealt with failures throughout ones life arriving at the dead-end with no sense of belonging.
They dont drink BECAUSE of benefits. And also giving them benefits without providing help to recover is completely irresponsible, as then those people will collapse indeed. This shop-drinking picture shows that your system is bad that it rejects its own people.
And blames them for effects of this rejection.
Still of course, its impossible to cure everyone with the same medicine. But if it doesnt work on scarce individuals, you dont resign from this medicine penalizing the majority.
In Poland, the present government introduced a Family 500+ program, under which every family receives 500 PLN (120) a month for a child. The condition is that its a family not a single parent. According to market research, it has reduced employment among less educated people, as well as among women aged 35-44. Theres also a rise in passive people who neither work nor look for employment.
Indeed its a controversial program paternalistically imposing conservative Catholic customs. Still, if giving poor people income support leads them to stop doing a job of cleaning public lavatories or doing dangerous works without proper safety measures it is just great. In the long run it may lead to the improvement of employment conditions rising wages, improving job setting, providing training.
You know, 99% of people want to improve their lives. And UBI wont prevent them from wanting it. So if such projects stop them doing terrible jobs, then this is actually a positive outcome. And everyone should ask himself or herself if they would like to do those jobs before criticizing those people or given projects results.
See the article here:
Prof. Guy Standing: Every country can afford Universal Basic Income - EURACTIV
- Modern Survival Manual Surviving the Economic Collapse - December 18th, 2016 [December 18th, 2016]
- What Explains the Collapse of the USSR? - E-International ... - January 13th, 2017 [January 13th, 2017]
- Where Should the External Priorities of the Visegrd Lie? - Visegrad Insight - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- PH gov't, communists urged to pursue talks even without ceasefire - Inquirer.net - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- New Texts Out Now: Helga Tawil-Souri and Dina Matar, eds. Gaza as Metaphor - Jadaliyya - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Kazakhstan Going Into Soft Power Overdrive - EurasiaNet - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Economic Crash 2017 and How the Next Financial Crisis Could Be Worse Than 2008 - Lombardi Letter - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Mass incarceration and the perfect socio-economic storm - OUPblog (blog) - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Give peace a chance, not 'all-out' war, say solons, Leftist Cabinet members - InterAksyon - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Celebrating Black History: Detroit Techno icons - Mixmag - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Why 'financial inclusion' may be the wrong terminology - NewsDay - February 8th, 2017 [February 8th, 2017]
- 'Conspiracy' in peace talks collapse seen - Inquirer.net - February 8th, 2017 [February 8th, 2017]
- 2017 and beyond: Future unpredictable - Zimbabwe Independent - February 10th, 2017 [February 10th, 2017]
- Zuma's interventions will deal with white monopoly capital - Office of ANC Chief Whip - Politicsweb - February 12th, 2017 [February 12th, 2017]
- Lobster crash erodes West Coast way of life - GroundUp - February 13th, 2017 [February 13th, 2017]
- Hopes remain for revival of peace talks - Manila Bulletin - February 13th, 2017 [February 13th, 2017]
- Lobster crash erodes West Coast way of life - News24 - February 15th, 2017 [February 15th, 2017]
- Financial Black Swans Could Rock 2017 Stock Market Forecast - Lombardi Letter - February 16th, 2017 [February 16th, 2017]
- Zimbabwe: A Crisis Unfolding - Zimbabwe | ReliefWeb - ReliefWeb - February 16th, 2017 [February 16th, 2017]
- 'Bumper harvest to stop aid politicisation' - Nehanda Radio - February 16th, 2017 [February 16th, 2017]
- Zimbabwe: A Crisis Unfolding - New Zimbabwe.com - New Zimbabwe.com - February 17th, 2017 [February 17th, 2017]
- Who We Play For saving lives through athlete heart screenings - Tallahassee.com - February 18th, 2017 [February 18th, 2017]
- Terrorist resurgence - Daily Times - February 18th, 2017 [February 18th, 2017]
- Seeing Sabon Tasha in new light - Daily Trust - February 20th, 2017 [February 20th, 2017]
- Facing tragedy with courage - The News International - February 28th, 2017 [February 28th, 2017]
- Socio-Economic Collapse | Prometheism.net - Part 3 - March 1st, 2017 [March 1st, 2017]
- Rethinking Nonviolent Resistance In The Face Of Right-Wing ... - Huffington Post - March 3rd, 2017 [March 3rd, 2017]
- Vladimir Putin Isn't a Supervillain - Foreign Policy (blog) - March 3rd, 2017 [March 3rd, 2017]
- First ceiling collapse at Charlotte Maxeke in January already, claim staff - News24 - March 3rd, 2017 [March 3rd, 2017]
- Rethinking Nonviolent Resistance in the Face of Right-Wing Populism - The Wire - March 4th, 2017 [March 4th, 2017]
- Historical Materialism Versus Historical Conceptualism - Dissident Voice - March 6th, 2017 [March 6th, 2017]
- World Bank, Sokoto Govt commit N9b for rebuilding of collapsed ... - THISDAY Newspapers - March 8th, 2017 [March 8th, 2017]
- Nigeria: Sokoto Govt and World Bank pledges $28.8million for rehabilitation of collapsed Dam - Ecofin Agency: Economic information from Africa - March 9th, 2017 [March 9th, 2017]
- Time for a rebirth of Zimbabwean politics - Bulawayo24 News (press release) (blog) - April 8th, 2017 [April 8th, 2017]
- This Brexit battle is cold, hard capitalism vs. civilised, co-operative order - The New European - April 8th, 2017 [April 8th, 2017]
- Swet Shop Boys: Why white skin is no longer a safety net - Deutsche Welle - June 6th, 2017 [June 6th, 2017]
- Impact of Prez Akufo-Addo's W/A tour on economy - Graphic Online - June 6th, 2017 [June 6th, 2017]
- Important meeting for our nation's future | Deniliquin Pastoral Times - Deniliquin Pastoral Times (registration) (blog) - June 8th, 2017 [June 8th, 2017]
- Creating a Better Economy with Data Science - Stanford Social Innovation Review (subscription) - June 8th, 2017 [June 8th, 2017]
- TB Joshua : 'Investigate Fani-Kayode's claims on Synagogue building collapse' - Analyst - Pulse Nigeria - June 11th, 2017 [June 11th, 2017]
- Integration and security: Estonia's Russian-speaking minority - New Eastern Europe - June 12th, 2017 [June 12th, 2017]
- Late Matanzima celebrated as a visionary- Education, development described as his legacy - Daily dispatch - June 16th, 2017 [June 16th, 2017]
- Climate, social equality also behind collapse of govt formation talks: Green leader - NL Times - June 17th, 2017 [June 17th, 2017]
- Country needs USDA Rural Development - Iowa Farmer Today - June 17th, 2017 [June 17th, 2017]
- The downgrade and retirement funds: what does it mean? - African Independent - June 18th, 2017 [June 18th, 2017]
- National priorities defy convention in St Lucia - St. Lucia Times News - St. Lucia Times Online News (press release) - June 20th, 2017 [June 20th, 2017]
- Use of harmful chemicals for fish preservation harmful to consumers - Ghana News Agency - June 20th, 2017 [June 20th, 2017]
- Use of harmful chemicals for fish preservation harmful to consumers ... - BusinessGhana - June 22nd, 2017 [June 22nd, 2017]
- Op-Ed: South Africa's central bank row points to dangerous levels of intolerance - CNBCAfrica.com - June 22nd, 2017 [June 22nd, 2017]
- Collapsed bridge cut off over 5000 residents in llorin - National Accord - June 22nd, 2017 [June 22nd, 2017]
- The Wonderful World of Binary Categorizations - Geopoliticalmonitor.com - June 23rd, 2017 [June 23rd, 2017]
- Dangerous levels of intolerance exposed in Reserve Bank row - Independent Online - June 23rd, 2017 [June 23rd, 2017]
- South Africa's central bank row points to dangerous levels of intolerance - eNCA - June 24th, 2017 [June 24th, 2017]
- Reserve Bank battle points to dangerous levels of intolerance - Mail & Guardian - June 26th, 2017 [June 26th, 2017]
- There is a strong economic case to preserve future of traditional fishing - Alfred Sant - Malta Independent Online - June 27th, 2017 [June 27th, 2017]
- Empowering Women in Developing Economies - HuffPost - June 30th, 2017 [June 30th, 2017]
- Is this the end of Daesh? - Arab News - July 2nd, 2017 [July 2nd, 2017]
- Nkomo could have saved Zim: Zapu - NewsDay - July 3rd, 2017 [July 3rd, 2017]
- Govt completes inspection 1.6 lakh bridges, plans new tech - Zee News - July 3rd, 2017 [July 3rd, 2017]
- Centre claims to have completed safety audit of 1.6 lakh bridges; to work on 147 dilapidated structures - Firstpost - July 3rd, 2017 [July 3rd, 2017]
- Collapse of UT and Capital banks A case of a collective national failure (Article) - Citifmonline - August 24th, 2017 [August 24th, 2017]
- UNZA vice-chancellor lays down marker - Zambia Daily Mail - August 24th, 2017 [August 24th, 2017]
- What Makes a Terrorist? - The New York Review of Books - August 24th, 2017 [August 24th, 2017]
- How the Collapse of Venezuela Really Happened - The ... - February 18th, 2018 [February 18th, 2018]
- Socio-Economic Collapse in the Congo: Causes and Solutions - October 3rd, 2018 [October 3rd, 2018]
- Sick Bees Part 18F8: Colony Collapse Revisited ... - April 25th, 2019 [April 25th, 2019]
- Classic Maya collapse - Wikipedia - April 25th, 2019 [April 25th, 2019]
- Great Civilizations Aren't Murdered, They Commit Suicide ... - May 5th, 2019 [May 5th, 2019]
- Dollar Collapse Predictions: What Will Happen When It Happens? - May 5th, 2019 [May 5th, 2019]
- 10 Steps to Prepare for Americas Economic Collapse - May 31st, 2019 [May 31st, 2019]
- Do you really think NDC faithful would ever condemn a coup dtat? - Modern Ghana - October 1st, 2019 [October 1st, 2019]
- Economic and Institutional Restructuring for the Next Nigeria - Soludo - Proshare Nigeria Limited - October 1st, 2019 [October 1st, 2019]
- ET CEO Roundtable: Build a wealthier nation with state help, industry execution - Economic Times - October 1st, 2019 [October 1st, 2019]
- Ghanaians could well face the wrath of God should they betray the Free SHS provider! - Modern Ghana - October 1st, 2019 [October 1st, 2019]
- The Return to Power of Local Hotel Brands? | By Robert Govers - Hospitality Net - October 1st, 2019 [October 1st, 2019]
- Brexit: Systemic Risk and a Warning - Resilience - October 1st, 2019 [October 1st, 2019]
- Why is Poland's Law and Justice party still so popular? - EUROPP - European Politics and Policy - October 1st, 2019 [October 1st, 2019]
- Presidential elections in Tunisia: who are the globalists betting on? - United World International - October 16th, 2019 [October 16th, 2019]
- Kevin Taylor, youre a reporter, not an opinionist; youre guided by the rule of impartiality! - Modern Ghana - October 16th, 2019 [October 16th, 2019]
- The Unholy Mess of US Middle Eastern Strategy - Valdai Discussion Club - October 16th, 2019 [October 16th, 2019]