Basic income: new debates and experiments are taking place in Europe

A three-year experiment begins in Germany, and participants receive € 1,200 each month. Thanks to COVID-19 and the automation of mass production, the idea of ​​a basic income is becoming increasingly relevant, but such a solution may simply be too expensive for states.

Basic income management in EU countries has been debated for many years. Fixed public payments for all citizens who do not need to earn, say, that money helps to bridge the gap between EU countries, fosters socio-economic cooperation, helps fight unemployment and poverty, which can affect a growing number of societies already COVID. 19 economic recession and the incessant growth of the automation of production and services.

Additionally, during the COVID-19 pandemic, not only unemployment increased, but so did the role of the state in the economy, according to basic income enthusiasts.

72,000 for

All this has been driven by a citizens’ initiative for the European Commission (EC) to make proposals for the introduction of basic income throughout the EU, says Deutsche Welle.

That obligation is owned by the EC if 1 million is collected per year. The Europeans who support the initiative, and the minimum number of days required, 5,640, will be collected in seven EU countries.

According to the portal, the initiative currently has the support of some 72,000 people. Slovenia became the first country to collect the minimum number of signatures. This upheaval occurred on social media and was not supported by young people.

According to lawyer and author Ronaldo Blaschke, coordinator of the basic income project in Germany, Poland, Malta and many other countries, unlike Slovenia, there is no public debate on such income management.

There is not even a larger citizen movement and sambras, such as the Catholic Employers’ Movement in Germany, dealing with these issues, R. Blaschke cites the portal.

The situation is different in France. Basic income is supported by various groups in society, from members of the environmental movement or anti-poverty activists to liberal intellectual movements.

The first European country, although not a member of the EU, to vote on basic income for four years was Switzerland. Almost 77% of those who voted in favor of this initiative did not support it.

Finland has partly succeeded

A final basic income experiment was carried out in Finland. and 20172018 2,000 randomly selected unemployed had the opportunity to receive a minimum basic wage of 560 euros per month instead of state unemployment benefits.

These individuals were allowed additional work, and regardless of their employment, the amount of the basic allowance was not limited to them.

The results of this study showed that mons received a fee, the psychologists felt better, were happier and more relaxed.

The financial guarantees granted by the minimum wage allowed them to try their luck in new professional projects without fear of personal bankruptcy.

However, the Finnish labor market did not benefit from this, as project participants worked on average a few days a year more than people without a basic income.

New German project

In Germany, another basic income project was launched in early October and participants are currently being selected. More than 2 million people applied to participate. person, but only 122 for three years, starting in 2021. January 1, which will receive 1,200 Eur per month without additional conditions.

The aim of this project is to try to find an answer as to whether such contributions can reduce the cost of health care and to compare the unequal educational opportunities caused by the lower television income of Danes, to model the behavior of German society.

By the way, the experiment aims to help non-socially disadvantaged groups, such as the unemployed or beneficiaries. The authors of the project do not rule out that for about more than 1,200 Eur, that additional money is not very necessary.

This experiment, according to dw.com, is unique in that it is not financed from the state budget, but through concentrated funding. Furthermore, the experimental partners are the strong research organization German Institute for Economic Research (DIW) in Berlin, the University of Cologne and Max-Plank-Gesellschaft.

However, no such obligation provides that recipients are informed of changes in their lives, practices and attitudes. For example, the author of the project is interested in whether the experiment participants will spend more time on social work, spend more money on charity, or simply spend more time on the couch watching television. Additionally, some of the participants in the experiment will determine how stress hormone levels change in the body.

U and for

Defenders of basic income argue that its introduction may result in no one wanting to work anymore and will withdraw from social life. However, as the results of a study conducted by Splendid Research show, three out of four Germans want to continue working despite the possibility of earning a basic income.

Rather, Mons wants to work less to spend more time on family and hobbies, thinks Blaschke.

Basic income holders argue that fixed state contributions provide an opportunity for a society in which a person is judged not only by the extent to which they generate economic benefits.

Stable EU revenues allow citizens to take advantage of the fact that the current UK market is unwilling to learn much, such as fighting climate change or engaging in art.

Also, employees are not afraid of leaving the wrong employer because basic income is for them to ensure safety. They can negotiate better for better working conditions. Basic income is expected to encourage companies to start their own businesses. Its Danes are also mentioned as a means of protecting companies from the threat of robotization.

However, the biggest deficit in basic income is too high a price. Researchers say it would be possible to pay back the money saved by refusing to pay more and more. However, in this case, the basic income would be too low and the goal could not be achieved.

When Switzerland 2016 in a referendum, the government voted on the idea of ​​paying the entire population 2,000 euros and the government calculated that the implementation of this plan would have cost around 200 billion LTL a year. CHF (167 billion euros).

This is almost three times more than the government’s budget of 67 billion at the time. CHF (EUR 56 billion). Therefore, Switzerland would have had to raise taxes significantly and a higher tax rate would reduce the positive effect on base income.

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