Citizen’s Income

De Koffie Pot

De Koffie Pot, home to the excellent ‘Politics, Environment & Ethics’ weekly workshops, every Wednesday

Last night in Hereford we had an excellent evening discussing Citizen’s Income. Perry Walker of Talk Shop chaired the session and Dr Malcolm Torry from the Citizens Income Trust led a fascinating talk and discussion. To quote from the Citizen’s Income Trust introductory pamphlet ‘A Citizen’s Basic Income is an unconditional, automatic and nonwithdrawable payment to each individual as a right of citizenship.’ The Trust’s work focuses on the practical possibilities of implementing such a scheme in the UK. Related organisations exist to promote the concept in other countries, and indeed on a global scale. I’d long supported some kind of global scheme, but in the current political climate this seems unlikely to happen any time soon. Some interesting short term (usually 2 years) and local (just covering a few villages) experiments in Citizen’s Income have been tried in Namibia, India, Canada, Finland and elsewhere over the years. The Namibian example in particular looked to be a very successful way of improving the lives of the some very poor people. In an analysis of the scheme the Basic Income Earth Network make clear that the scheme was not extended due to corporations who want to keep labour cheap and people disempowered. To some extent this may be the case everywhere, but possibly things are beginning to change for a number of reasons.

In UK and elsewhere as more people juggle multiple very short term and insecure jobs with means tested benefits this becomes ever more costly and complex to administer. The system’s complexity disincentivises claimants from telling the truth and keeps them stuck in welfare dependency. Couple this with the rapid expansion of automation, artificial intelligence and robotics and the number of jobs available is liable to plummet. The right wing Putin/Trump/May/Global Corporate line seems to be to create a new class of serfs or insecure day labourers harking back to early 19th Century work patterns. The emerging alternative supported by Green and left leaning parties around the world seeks to promote equality and develop the possibilities for personal growth in a more leisured society, by shortening the normal working week and a host of other measures, a key part of which is the implementation of Citizen’s Basic Income. Many on the right now see a Citizen’s Income as increasingly necessary and the only way to tackle welfare dependency. Last night’s talk convinced me of the importance of more people joining the Citizen’s Income Trust and helping in whatever way they can to get this sensible and practical policy implemented as soon as possible.

Last night’s session was part of the ‘Politics, Environment & Ethics’ sessions at De Koffie Pot. Every Wednesday: highly recommended, free admittance, very friendly and empowering. If you’re in the area why not join us? Check-out the website to see what’s on.

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