BASIC INCOME
Newsletter of the Basic Income European Network
N°7 Spring 1990
The 1990 BIEN Conference In one part of the world, a "Economic democracy and genuine basic income scheme citizenship income". has been in operation since Florence, 19-22 September 1982, and we knew nothing 1990 about it. Many thanks to all those who See page 4 on the Alaska have responded to the call for dividend distribution program papers. Further details about programme, accommodation, Are the United States as a registration, etc. will be sent whole politically ripe for a directly to BIEN members by basic income ? the organizers. Less so than Europe, is the Organizing Committee: answer that emerged from a Edwin MORLEY-FLETCHER, Lega conference held on 7-9 April at Nazionale delle Cooperative e the University of Wisconsin. Mutue, Via Guattini 9, I-00161 Roma, Italy. Phone: (39)(6)844391; See page 3 for some subjective Fax: (39)(6)84439216. conclusions. Guy STANDING, International Labour Office, CH-1211 Geneva, Switzeland. A new handy pamphlet Phone: (41)(22)7996455; presenting basic income and Fax: (41)(22)7988685. Alexander DE ROO, De Groenen, the main issues it raises has European Parliament, 97-113 rue just been published by the Belliard, B-1030 Brussels, Belgium. Basic Income Research Group: Phone: (32)(2)2343052. see page 6
To those who see this Newsletter for the first time: If you want to keep receiving it,
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Basic Income 7 please follow the instructions on the back page.
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CONTENTS
OUR NETWORK PUBLICATIONS 2 BIEN's Executive Committee 5 Dutch 2 How you can help 6 English 12 What is BIEN? 8 French 12 How to join BIEN 8 German 9 Italian NEWS 11 Swedish 3 Past events 4 News from the past 4 News from elsewhere
BIEN's EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE THIS ISSUE
Co-chairmen: of Basic Income Guy STANDING (International Labour Office, CH-1211 Geneva) has been prepared with the help of Edwin MORLEY-FLETCHER (Lega Sue Black, Guy Standing, Nazionale delle Cooperative e Mutue, Walter Van Trier, Via Guattini 9, I-OO161 Roma) and all those who have spontaneously sent Secretary: Walter VAN TRIER (UFSIA, 21 relevant material. Bosduifstraat, B-2018 Antwerp) Treasurer: Alexander DE ROO (De Many thanks! Groenen, European Parliament, 97-113 rue Belliard, B-1030 Brussels), treasurer Newsletter editor: Philippe VAN PARIJS (Economie et Société, 3 Place Montesquieu, B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, phone: (32) (10) 473950 (a.m. only); Fax: (32)(10) 474819.)
HOW YOU CAN HELP
How useful this Newsletter turns out to relevant publications received will be made be depends on YOU. available in the Collectif Charles Fourier's Archives. Deadline for the next issue: 1 1. Please keep it informed. Send the August 1990 . Newsletter editor (address above), as soon as it is available, any news, announcement, 2. Please spread it. Circulate it as much as book, pamphlet, working paper, etc. that you can, and feel free to make any number may interest other people in the network. of photocopies you like. BIEN members can This information and material need not be in ask for free additional copies,, to make English. Given the steady growth of the available at seminars or conferences they material received, ashort summary would be organize, for example. greatly appreciated, preferably but not necessarily, in English. After review, all
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PAST EVENTS
on the politics of basic income; and a dozen discussants had been flown in from SEMINAR ON CITIZENSHIP RIGHTS Berkeley, Chicago, Harvard and other AND GUARANTEED INCOME places. ROME, APRIL 1989 One thing the conference made plain is that there is a significant interest in the idea of a basic income in at least two Several publications (all in Italian) have groups in the U.S.: left-of-centre social now appeared in order to spread the results welfare reformers, who want to correct a of this first important encounter on basic number of anomalies and perversions of income in Italy, organized by the Research current income maintenance schemes by Institute of the Trade Union Confederation introducing a fairly low basic income (see CGIL. See the collection published by e.g. Fred Haveman's Starting Even, Politica ed Economía, and the topic issues of reviewed below) and radical social Inchiesta, L'Assistenza Sociale and Democrazia thinkers, who view a generous basic e Diritto, reviewed below (pp.10-11). income as an important component of a Contact address: Maria Luisa Mirabile & viable and desirable future society (see e.g. Paola Negro, IRES-CGIL, Via Santa Teresa Fred Block's forthcoming book, 23, I-00198 Roma. Postindustrial Possibilities). Even among those who believe basic income to be a good and feasible idea, however, there is broad agreement that the prospects are far BASIC INCOME GUARANTEES. A worse in the U.S. than in Europe, and that NEW WELFARE STRATEGY ? basic income is not likely to be on the MADISON (USA), 6-8 APRIL 1990 American political agenda in anything like the near future. In a way, this is surprising, since something not so distant from a genuine (though low) basic income was Of all American states, Wisconsin passed by the U.S. House of has the strongest social-democratic Representatives though eventually rejected tradition, and its large public University by the Senate in 1971. (Nixon's Family houses both the National Institute for Assistance Plan had no poverty trap nor Research on Poverty (which played a major work requirement, even though it was role in coordinating the famous Negative means-tested and household-based. Daniel Income Tax Experiments) and the Havens Moynihan's fascinating account of this Center for the Study of Social Structure and missed chance, The Politics of a Guaranteed Social Change (which promotes critical Income, Random House, 1973, is well worth thinking about social reforms). It comes as reading by Europeans too.) no surprise, therefore, that it should be in But once it is realized to what Madison, and under the sponsorship of extent arguments in favour of transfer these two institutions, that this first (?) U.S. programmes are to be judged in terms of conference on basic income should have their appeal to "the taxpayer", conceived as been organized. just a charity among others, this ceases to Robert Haveman (Director of the be an enigma. For the taxpayer does not La Follette Institute, University of like giving his hard-earned money away in Wisconsin) responded to the keynote the form of cash (food stamps and school lecture delivered by Philippe Van Parijs meals are safer). He likes even less to let (Université Catholique de Louvain) on "the some of his money go to people who are second marriage of justice and efficiency"; not "really needy". And above all, he wants Irwin Garfinkel (University of Wisconsin) his generosity to be restricted to the gave a breakfast talk on the history of the "deserving" poor, those who try hard and US discussion; Sam Bowles (University of fail. As far as the prospects for basic income Massachusetts) and Kevin Lang (Boston are concerned, it is our luck in Europe (but University) presented the two main papers for how long?) that we do not suffer to the on the economics of basic income; Fred same extent as the U.S. from a strong Block (University of Pennsylvania) and correlation between income and Ann Withorn (University of participation in elections, from the massive Massachussetts) gave the two main papers - 4 -
Basic Income 7 influence of big money on political would like the government to spend part of campaigns, from the absence of a broadly his money. This is why the political based labour movement and from a racial feasibility of basic income, though not its cleavage that makes it difficult to look at economic feasibility, is significantly greater transfer recipients as "some of us" rather in Europe than in the U.S. In the short term, than "some of them". the introduction of universal child benefits The combination of these and the extension of health insurance to all differences makes it easier, in Europe, to Americans are very important and more frame questions of political feasibility in realistic political objectives in the U.S. terms of what a decent and rational context - but also key steps in the direction community should do, and not in terms of of a genuine basic income. how the holder of the "median dollar"
NEWS FROM THE PAST
THE TRUE ORIGINS OF "BASIC INCOME": ADDENDA ET CORRIGENDA
The first recorded use of the term "basic federal income tax" to refer to the negative income" in a sense akin to ours still seems income tax scheme he was then putting to be, as mentioned in BI 5: 11, in Jan forward. His use probably owes nothing to Tinbergen's Economic Policy: principles and Tinbergen's earlier use. Nor does, in design (North Holland, 1953). But it is Britain, Hermione Parker's. Along with worth noting that in his famous article "On Brandon Rhys-Williams, she started using improving the economic status of the the term independently in 1981. It is to Negro" (in Daedalus 1965), American them that the British Basic Income Research economist James Tobin, another Nobel Group (so named from the start, contrary Prize winner, speaks about "basic income to what was asserted in BI 5: 11) owes its allowances, integrated with and name. administered in conjunction with the
NEWS FROM ELSEWHERE
THE ALASKA DIVIDEND DISTRIBUTION PROGRAM
Since 1977, the State of Alaska has been exploitation of resources today in a receiving royalty income from oil produced constitutionally inviolate trust fund, the on state-owned land at Prudhoe Bay. current generation of Alaskans has ensured About 20% of these funds have been saved that future generations will benefit from in a state savings account called the Alaska Alaska's mineral and petroleum wealth." Permanent Fund. Since 1982, the interest on Moreover, they argue, the dividend this account as been distributed to each program benefits current Alaskans by Alaska resident in the form of a uniform increasing their incomes (and, obviously, dividend whose level has oscillated from proportionally more the lower incomes) year to year between $300 and $1000 per and by acting as an anti-recessionary policy annum. tool, whereby the boom-bust cycles that In a recent article, economists O'Brien have plagued Alaskans are somewhat (University of Alaska, Fairbanks) and mitigated. Olson (University of Louisville) assess the See: J. Patrick O'Brien and Dennis O. Olson, scheme and defend it as "a unique "The Alaska permanent fund and dividend experiment in the redistribution of wealth distribution program", in Public Finance to future generations. By setting aside a Quarterly 18(2), April 1990, 139-156. portion of state revenues received from the
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PUBLICATIONS
DUTCH
T'WERKT NIET MEER N°3, Werkplaats similar lines by the same author, "Opstaan Basisinkomen (Herman Heijermansweg 20, voor iemand misstaat niemand", was 1077 WL Amsterdam), March 1990, 28p. published in Maadschrift Economie 47(9), This third issue of the Dutch BI Newsletter 1983, and related discussions by G. den contains, in addition to announcements Hartogh, T.A.F. Kuipers and E. van der and reviews, a tribute to the recently Hoeven appeared in Filosofie & Praktijk 5(2), deceased Dutch Network's chairperson, 1984, and 6(3), 1985.) The starting point is Janneke van der Plaat, an account of a that even in a world with scarce jobs people recent conference on "partial basic incomes" should have an equal right to work. It does (see BI 6, p.3), a note on the discussion not follow that one should reduce working about BI that took place inside the time so as to give a smaller equal share to powerful Union of public employees, and all. It is far more intelligent to allow each an exchange about whether or not people person to trade his/her right to work. The living alone would be left worse off by the market equilibrium value of this right introduction of a BI and, if so, whether this determines the level of the BI, the income of would be a good thing. those who choose not to work. In this light, (If you want to receive this Newsletter, those who live off a BI do support write to the above address.) themselves: by letting others use a scarce asset to which they are fully entitled by ANTHONISSEN, Karel, Een wereld in virtue of their equal right to work. The schuld. Groene beschouwingen over more numerous the work shy, the cheaper economie, financiën en fiscaliteit, the right to work will turn out to be, and Antwerpen: GCV Els Van den Heuvel the better therefore for those who are very (Menegemlei 1, 2100 Antwerpen), 1989, keen to work. 175p. (Author's address: Katholieke Hoge-school In this short book on economic matters Tilburg, Centrale Interfaculteit, PB 90153, from a green angle, Anthonissen, an 5000 LE Tilburg, Netherlands.) economist and active member of the Flemish green party AGALEV, devotes KLAPPE, Judit, Het basisinkomen werkt several sections to the basic income niet. Stellingen tegen het basisinkomen, proposal. Let us not be impressed by some Amsterdam: Wetenschappelijke Bureau strange bedfellows, he argues, BI is a PSP (Postbus 700, 1000 AS Amsterdam), frightfully green idea. There is not much januari 1990, 18p. for a green to worry about if some people "Support for basic income seems to be opt for a low-consumption existence by growing fast, also within the Green Left." choosing to content themselves with their This trend, mentioned in the first sentence BI, nor indeed if incentives for more and of this vigorous pamphlet, greatly irritates more production, or pressure for more and the latter's author, a scientific collaborator more employment, are eroded as a of the Pacifist Socialist Party, one of the consequence of introducing a BI. Whether three components (with the radicals and the latter should be paid in the form of ex the communists) of the recently formed ante grants or in the form of a negative Dutch "Green Left" party. In an attempt to income tax is not a matter of principle, but halt that trend, Klappe has compiled a simply a matter of implementation. motley list of 17 arguments against basic income and spells them out in succession. HAMMINGA, Bert, "Arbeid en moraal in Not good reading for anyone who believes de spiegel van een utopie", in Aftellen tot that at least a modicum of sympathy is 2000 (W. Goddijn & al.), Tilburg (NL): required for a fruitful critique. Tilburg University Press, 1988, 4-25. A fascinating utopian economic model that VAN PARIJS, Philippe, "Werkelijke sheds light on the moral foundations of vrijheid voor allen. Een antwoord op het basic income. (An earlier piece along neoliberalisme", in Terugkeer van de ethiek.
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Denken over economie en samenleving (Luk place (reviewed in BI 6: 9, and reprinted Bouckaert ed.), Leuven & Amersfoort: since in Problèmes Economiques, Paris: La ACCO, 1989, 131-146. Documentation Française, 4 January 1990). Dutch translation of a French article (Author's address: ECOS, 3 Place presenting an alternative to neo-liberalism Montesquieu, B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve) in which basic income is given a central
ENGLISH
BASIC INCOME, London: Basic Income ASHDOWN, Paddy. Citizens' Britain: A Research Group, 1989, 12p. radical agenda for the 1990's, London: What is a basic income? How would it Fourth Estate, 1989, £5.95. work? How would it be financed? Full, In this book, the leader of the British partial or transitional? What is BIRG? These Liberal Democrats (the outcome of the are some of the questions briefly and merger of the Liberal Party and the non- clearly answered in the new booklet Owenite Social Democratic Party) presents recently issued by the Basic Income his vision of the future of Britain. "Britain Research Group. After outlining BIRG's should start to move", he believes, "towards programme at home, the booklet describes en entirely new structure which gives every its programme abroad, in connection with citizen a non-withdrawable Basic Income, the EC's interest in minimum guaranteed irrespective of work or marital status". This income schemes: "Although the EC talks course is to be followed for many reasons. about Basic Incomes, what they mean is Among those on which Ashdown lays most unclear. BIRG, working in conjunction with stress are the fact that a basic income would BIEN, will seek to clarify the issues. We "encouragfe enterprise and self- shall emphasise the limitations of a safety employment, and provide the flexibility net that is means-tested and conditional. required in a vigorous, modern economy" And we shall argue the case for a small and that it would provide "a mechanism for Basic Income throughout the EEC, with sharing both paid and unpaid work more entitlement based on legal residence." fairly" by "giving men as well as women (Available from BIRG, 102 Pepys Road, incentives to do part-time work". London SE14 5SG, U.K.) ATKINSON, Anthony B., Poverty and BIRG Bulletin 10, Autumn/Winter 1990, Social Security, Hemel Hempstead: London: Basic Income Research Group (102 Harvester Wheatsheaf, 1989, 400p., £12.95 Pepys Road, London SE14 5SG), 32p., £3.00. (paperback), £40 (hardcover). Contains a concise presentation by The third and last part of this collection of Cambridge economist James Meade of his essays by LSE economist (and new own version of the "social dividend", chairman of the European Economic financed by the revenue of state-owned Association) Tony Atkinson is devoted to assets ("Topsy -turvy nationalization"); an an analysis of the implications of income extensive treatment by Manchester tax and social security reform proposals economist David Purdy of the conditions using powerful methodological tools. The under which basic income could serve the last two chapters of the book ("The cost of ideal of true citizenship; reports (inter alia) social dividend and tax credit schemes" on the Italian debate about guaranteed and "Analysis of partial basic income minimum incomes and on the EEC- schemes") are directly relevant to the basic sponsored "European Conference on Basic income discussion. Incomes"; in-depth reviews of Tony Walter's and Hermione Parker's recent DALY, Herman E. & COBB, John B., books; and - most surprisingly - a vigorous For the Common Good. Redirecting the plea for basic income by the British economy toward community, the Member of Parliament and leader of the environment and a sustainable future, Liberal Democrats, Paddy Ashdown (see Boston : Beacon Press, 1989, 482 p., $ 24.95. also his recent book, reviewed below). Two Written jointly by the author of Steady State out of the four main political groupings in Economics (now economist in the Britain now seem to have joined the pro-BI Environment Department of the World camp (the Greens joined over a decade Bank) and an American theologian, this ago). Only two left! book delineates the conditions for a sustainable future. One of them is the introduction of a "social dividend"
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Basic Income 7 administered in the form of a negative income set at one-half to two-thirds of the income tax. True, this will lead some to poverty level". It would replace such deciding to live off the dole without programs as AFDC (Aid to Families with seeking work. But "society has little to fear Dependent Children), food stamps and a - and something to gain - from the variety of housing support programs. decisions. At present there are not enough Haveman's package also includes a jobs for all who want them. The witdrawal "universal personal capital account for of a few from competition for these will not youths" : $ 20.000 to be given to all youth at damage society". And the fact that more age 18, to be spent on approved purchases will choose to study or to pursue artistic or of education and medical care services. idealistic endeavors will benefit society in (Author's address : the Director, La Follette the long run. Institude of Public Affairs, University of Wisconsin, 109 Observatory Hill, Madison, GORZ, André, Critique of Economic Wisconsin 53706, USA). Reason, London & New York : Verso (6 Meard Street, London W1V 3HR), 1989, VAN PARIJS, Philippe, "In defence of 25O p. abundance", in Canadian Journal of A translation of Métamorphoses du travail Philosophy, Supplementary Volume 15 (Paris, 1988), the most comprehensive (Analyzing Marxism, Bob Ware & Kai formulation of André Gorz's critique of Nielsen eds.), 467-495. contemporary capitalism. The last section Using the tools of analytical philosophy of the last part of the book deals with basic and neo-classical economics, this article income. A "leftist" version, Gorz argues clarifies the (weak) sense in which must be coupled with a compulsory social abundance constitutes a pre-condition for service : "The essential aspect of an the viable introduction of an adequate basic obligation to work in exchange for a income, and relates it to the stronger guaranteed full income is that this notions of abundance that have been used obligation provides the basis for a both to characterize (positively) the corresponding right : by obliging conditions under which a pure distribution individuals to produce by working the according to needs is no longer utopian income which is guaranteed to them, and to circumscribe (negatively) the scope society obliges itself to guarantee them the of economic thinking. opportunity to work and gives them the (Author's address: ECOS, 3 Place right to demand this". Montesquieu, B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve) (Author's address: F-10130 Vosnon, France.) VAN PARIJS, Philippe. "The second marriage of justice and efficiency", in HAVEMAN, Robert, Starting Even. An Journal of Social Policy 19 (1), January 1990, equal opportunity program to combat the 1-25. Nation's new poverty, New York & Arguably, no major reform in the field of London : Simon & Schuster, 1988, 288 p. social policy can ever succeed if it is not This new book by poverty policy expert defensible on grounds of both justice and Robert Haveman describes and analyzes efficiency. Can basic income meet this income inequalities in the US and argues challenge? Not without a significant change for a package of policies that would, in his in the way one usually thinks about both view, improve both equity and efficiency. justice and efficiency in connection with It includes a "universal demogrant, social policy. But once these changes are integrated with the personal income tax", in made - and the case for making them is effect a household-based negative income compelling - the chance that basic income tax of the type advocated earlier by Stigler can meet the challenge is greatly enhanced. (1948), Friedman (1962) and Rolph (1967). (Offprints available from the author: ECOS, "A tax credit would be awarded to each 3 Place Montesquieu, B-1348 Louvain-la- family or taxpaying unit according to how Neuve) large it is and who lives in it. This credit would guarantee to families a minimum
FRENCH
BARTHALAY Bernard, "Propositions Futuribles, 55 rue de Varennes, F-75341, économi-ques, monétaires et France), octobre 1989, 17p. institutionnelles", Paris: Europe 93 (c/o
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A working document of "Europe 93", a PASSET René, "Production, emploi, group of (mainly French) intellectuals led revenu: le divorce", in Futuribles (55 rue de by Guy Aznar and Jacques Robin, who aim Varennes, F-75341 Paris Cedex 07), avril to spell out the cultural and social project 1989, 35-54. that must be associated to the single Modern technologies keep weakening the market. It advocates, among other things, link between production and employment, "a universal grant that would gradually and this calls in turn - out of concern with increase as a function of the growth of the both justice and outlets - for a weakening of marketable product generated by the the link between employment and income. system of automated production" and that This weakening is already on its way, as would replace some current provisions, people's non-work-related incomes already such as family allowances or amount, in a country like France, to 37% of unemployment benefits. GNP. But it needs to be pursued, according to French economist (and author of Le NAMOTTE René, Le Citoyen, l'impôt et Biologique et le Vivant) Passet, in the l'état. Une réflexion à propos d'un choix direction of a universal income. Such an de société de société, de qualité de vie, income would entail neither equality November 1989, 88p., available from the (people would add earned incomes to it to author. very different extents) nor a dual society A blueprint for a better society, including a (because of the wide range of choices open simpler tax an transfer system. In addition to people on the basis of this income). to "age grants" to pensioners and Should it be coupled with an obligation to "compensation grants" to the handicapped, contribute, as advocated e.g. by André the author advocates the introduction of a Gorz? This idea is morally appealing, but uniform "freedom grant", paid one cannot help being impressed by the unconditionally to every resident citizen manifold controls and bureaucratic and financed out of a general sales tax. It is burdens which the enforcement of such an better, he argues, "to give grants to some obligation would involve. "One is then led who obviously do not need them than to to dream about the heavenly simplicity of a risk forgetting some who might be universal dividend paid to all, without any hungry". Both workers and employers humiliating procedure, means test or work would benefit. The outcome would be requirement." Nurturing this dream should greater freedom for every citizen in the not prevents us, however, from settling on country. a more modest start. (Author's address: rue du Temple 68, B- (Author's address: 13 Avenue de Brimont, 4400 Herstal.) F-78400 Chatou, France.))
GERMAN
FORUM FÜR ALTERNATIVEN, "Kein more circumspect. He surveys a number of Mensch soll darben!" Garantiertes right- and left-wing proposals of a social Mindesteinkommen zur Absicherung gegen service, points to a number of risks and Not und Armut, Internationale Gesellschaft opportunities involved in the proposals, für Politik, Friedens- und insists that there should be no legal Umweltforschung (c/o Prof Dr Lutz connection between entitlement to a basic Roemheld, Löhnquelle 31, D-5758 income and obligation to perform the social Fröndenberg, West Germany), 1989, 52p. service, and settles for a 3-4 year long The proceedings of a conference held in service paid at basic income level, devoted August 1989 at the initiative of the German to child care, social work in a broad sense branch of Alexandre Marc's federalist or environmental protection, and organized movement. Regine and Lutz Roemheld, as much as possible by local authorities. Marlies Helms and Michael Opielka explore the nature of poverty and VOBRUBA Georg, "Vier gute Gründe für recommend a basic income, somehow Mindesteinkommen", in Kommune 3, 1990, coupled with a social service, as a 32. promising strategy for putting an end to it. A brief plea for basic income in one of the Regine Roemheld, in her concluding paper, main publications of the German green sees in the social service a way of financing movement. Contrary to existing welfare a basic income without needing to use provisions in Germany or Austria, a basic taxation. In the longest paper, Opielka is income would involve no work prohibition.
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Basic Income 7
It "does not provide an alternative to the collective volume draws on both theoretical 'right to work', but is a precondition for analysis and empirical evidence in order to work being perceived as a genuine right shed light on this central issue. (i.e. as something one wants)". It also (Editor's address: Hamburger Institut für provides, Vobruba argues, "a new and firm Sozialforschung, Mittelweg 36, D-2000 basis for individualization, flexibilization Hamburg 76) and deregulation processes. It makes it possible for old capitalism's torture tools to VOBRUBA Georg, Arbeiten und Essen. be turned into the concepts that will shape Politik an den Grenzen des Arbeitsmarktes, future society. Basic income is an essential Wien: Passagen Verlag, 1989, 256p., DM component of a socially enlightened 38.- modernization policy". "Those who do not work should not eat (Author's address: Hamburger Institut für either." For whom does this hold? In what Sozialforschung, Mittelweg 36, D-2000 sense? Indeed, does it hold at all? How Hamburg 76) should the available work be shared? Under what conditions should state VOBRUBA Georg (ed.), Strukturwandel provisions be accessible? These questions der Sozialpolitik. Lohnarbeitszentrierte cannot be evaded. There is a broad Sozialpolitik und soziale Grundsicherung , consensus as to the need to rethink the Frankfurt am Main: Suhrkamp, 1990, 352p., relation between "working" and "eating". DM 18.- But here the consensus stops, and the issue Social policy is now at the heart of social generates heated conflicts of interest. This scientific inquiry. To what extent should it book explains what is at stake. remain closely associated to waged labour? (Author's address: Hamburger Institut für To what extent should it go instead for Sozialforschung, Mittelweg 36, D-2000 securing basic security to all citizens. This Hamburg 76)
ITALIAN
D'APICE Carmela & al., "Debattito: La largely met by rationalizing the patchwork Povertà in Italia", in L'Assistenza Sociale. of existing transfer schemes; the latter's Problemi della Sicurezza Sociale e del Lavoro relevance is limited by the very (Ediesse, Via Goito 39, Roma, Italia), n° 43 requirement of a counterpart. Or so (5), Settembre-ottobre 1989, 433-456, LIT Marianetti believes. Whether or not he is 10.000. right on these points, his proposal has had This dossier contains three essays on quite an impact on Socialist Party policy, as poverty in Italy (by d'Apice, Tarquino and evidenced by the background document for Cavicchi) and three essays on basic income the PSI's recent programmatic conference as a strategy against poverty (by Negro, ("A modern reformism for a liberal Jordan and Van Parijs). It is followed by the socialism", Rimini 22-25 March 1990): "The text of the CGIL's proposal for reforming citizenship income is an inescapable social assistance: the integration and institution in such a wealthy society as expansion of various existing schemes into Italy. For the young it must be coupled a means-tested minimum income with training activities, for adults with established as a right of citizenship. work activities."
MARIANETTI, Agostino, "Reddito MEADE, James E. "Cosa imparare dagli minimo di cittadinanza: perché non Agathopiani", in Nuova Rassegna Sindacale provarci?", in Mond'Operaio 3, Marzo 1990, 14, 9 April 1990, 52-57. 32-33. On March 15, 1990, the Fundazione Marianetti launched a debate on what he Feltrinelli (Milan) organized a debate about calls a "citizenship minimum income" with the ideas contained in James Meade's an article published in March 1989 in the Agathotopia, with the participation of theoretical journal of the Italian Socialist Meade himself, Mario Monti, Mario Party (see BI 5: 9-10). His proposal (a Domenico Nuti, Michele Salvati, Salvatore means-tested guaranteed minimum income Veca and Edwin Morley-Fletcher. In his with a counterpart in "third sector talk, here published in an Italian services") was followed by a series of translation, James Meade restates the articles, to which Marianetti now briefly central points of his book. The text is replies. The two main objections concern preceded by the introductory talk of Edwin the cost of the scheme and the risk of its Morley-Fletcher ("Una favola che ci issuing into clientelism. The former can be riguarda"), which surveys the reception of
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Basic Income 7
Meade's book in Italy and warns readers (Cordoni, Esping Andersen, Vobruba, against some misunderstandings. Standing, Evers, Ravaioli, Bisogni, Bordini). (Author's address: Christ's College, Vittorio Capecchi, director of the journal, Cambidge, UK.) wrote the introduction, Laura Balbo, an independent M.P., wrote a postface, and MORLEY-FLETCHER, Edwin, "Qualche the collection ends with a extensive ipotesi d'avvio per il reddito du interview with Bruno Trentin, CGIL's cittadinanza", in Quaranta Cinque (Via General Secretary. Unlike equality of Guattani 9, I-00161 Roma) 10-11, October- results, he argues, equality of opportunities November 1989, 51-54 fits in with a highly differentiated society This article provides a brief survey of the such as ours and with our concern with Italian discussion around Meade's individual freedom. This is - Agathotopia, discusses three other routes to understandably - why he is stronly a citizenship income (a guaranteed opposed to a strategy of compulsory minimum income as it exists elsewhere in working time reduction. But this is also Europe, a generalization of the notion of why - oddly enough - he emphatically sabbatical leave, and the guarantee of an disagrees with the proposal of a citizenship income for the young unemployed in income, which he places on the side of exchange for some service to the local equality of results. "By allowing some to community), and then develops the work very little and spend the rest of their author's own proposal of a "social time as they wish", he concludes, "the inheritance", already sketched in an earlier advocates of a universal income seem to me piece (see BI 6: 11). to invite a regression to the society of ancient Greece, based on the distinction NEGRO, Paola (ed.), Reddito e diritti di between citizens and hilotes and on a cittadinanza. Nuove prospettive di welfare. circumscribed state. Today, we live instead Contributi del Seminario Internazionale in a limitless world and face a wide variety IRES, Roma, Aprile 1989, topic issue of of individual personalities which cannot be Inchiesta. Trimestrale di ricerca e pratica sociale reduced to such simplifying formulas." The (Casella postale 752, Bologna, Italy) questions were well posed, but reading n°83/84, gennaio-giugno 1989, 108p, LIT through Trentin's answers, one is often left 16000. to wonder whether he understood what a A carefully edited and rich collection of basic income is all about. Studying this contributions to the debate on "citizenship splendid collection prepared by members incomes", by both Italian and foreign of his own organization should be of great scholars. In his vigorous preface, Elio help. Giovannini, former member of the Italian (Editor's address: Paola Negro, IRES-CGIL, Parliament, chairman of the CGIL's Via Santa Teresa 23, I-00198 Roma.) research center (IRES) and organizer of the seminar on which this publication is based, NEGRO, Paola & al., "Il reddito di stresses the challenge posed by basic cittadinanza", topic issue of Democrazia e income: "as a break from the work ethic Diritto. Bimestrale del Centro du studi e di and as a war of cultural and political iniziative per la riforma dello stato (Via della liberation from the heavy labour-focused Vitte, 13, I-00187 Roma) Vol.30 (1), gennaio- ideology which characterizes the history of febbraio 1990, 141-232. the Left, it questions the domination of the Introduced by IRES-CGIL researcher Paola market over the lives of women and men". Negro, this collection contains three Yet, "though not the one big solution to the contributions to the international seminar crisis of the Fordist welfare state, it on basic income organized by IRES in provides an important instrument towards Rome in April 1989 - Gérard Martin on the the construction of the now missing left French "revenu minimum d'insertion", response to this crisis", particularly in the David Purdy on the political feasibility of context of increasing European integration. basic incomes and Walter Van Trier on the The essays are organized into four history of "social dividend" concepts - and sections: "Economic policy and two assessments of the challenge presented employment" (Van Parijs, Offe, Pugliese, by basic income in the Italian context, by Bruno, Garonna, Jordan, Morley-Fletcher), Chiara Saraceno and Gian Guido Balandi. "The political debate" (Paci, Brunetta, de (Editor's address: IRES-CGIL, Via Santa Roo, Mirabile, Bondioli, Foccillo, Van Trier, Teresa 23, I-00198 Roma.) Ascoli, Purdy), "Inequalities" (Patriarca, Gorrieri, Negro, Pontacolone, Zinna, NEVOLA, Gaspare, "L'eguaglianza Martin, Luciano, Militello, Andreoni) and complessa del reddito di base", in Politica ed "Work: flexibility, identity, working time"
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Basic Income 7
Economia (Via della Vite 13, I-OO187 Roma, income. The fact that Meade's blueprint is Italy), April 1990, 65-68. not within immediate reach should not in A sympathetic and well-informed his view make us neglect the many assessment of basic income as an fundamental things his book teaches us, in instrument for the several objectives of particular "the desirability of exploring new social policy, with special reference to the forms of citizenship income". Italian situation. The author is a doctoral (Author's address: Istituto Universitario student at the University of Trento Europeo, Department of Economics, (Department of Sociology). CP2330 I-50100 Firenze-Ferrovia, Italy)
NUTI, Mario, "Meade, l'impresa PER UN REDDITO DI CITTADINANZA, cooperativa e il socialismo di mercato", in Politica ed Economía (Via della Vite 13, I- Quaranta Cinque (Via Guattani 9, I-00161 00187 Roma, Italy), 1989. Roma) 10-11, October-November 1989, 3-5. Published on the occasion of the In this discussion of Meade's Agathotopia, extraordinary Congress of the Italian Nuti (now an exonomic adviser to the EEC Communist Party, this collection gathers a Commission on Eastern Europe) focuses dozen articles published on basic income mainly on the idea of labour/capital and related topics in the PCI-related partnerships. He likes the idea of a social magazine Politica ed Economía since the end dividend or citizenship income, because it of 1988. It includes contributions by both "fully incorporates the socialist idea of Italian (Paci, Saraceno, Vianello, D'Apice, equality", but he notes that "it is restricted Capecchi, Ravaioli, Pugliese, Morley- to very rich countries and raises obvious Fletcher, Balbo) and foreign (Standing, incentive problems" and he therefore Offe) scholars. prefers, on pragmatic grounds, a means- tested variety of guaranteed minimum
SWEDISH
ANDERSON Jan Otto, Vänsterframtid. with the conceptual tools of the French Nationalekonomiska studier av fordismens Regulation school and depicts it as one of kris och morgondagens alternativ, (Left the elements of an institutional framework Future. Economic essays on the crisis of due to replace Fordism. Chapter 9 contains fordism and tomorrow's alternative), a sketch of a concrete proposal for a basic Foklets Bildningsförbund (Kotkag 9, SF- income, which the author believes could be 00510 Helsingfors, Finland), 1989. easily implemented in Finland. The author is a Finnish left-wing economist (Author's address: Sirkkalagatan 9, SF- who has been advocating a social-service- 20500 Turku, Finland.) related basic income of the Gorz or Adler- Karlsson type. In this book, he discusses the idea of a basic income
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Basic Income 7
WHAT IS BIEN?
The Basic Income European Network was founded in September 1986 to serve as a link between individuals and groups committed to, or interested in, basic income, i.e. an income unconditionally granted to all on an individual basis, without means test or work requirement, and to foster informed discussion on this topic throughout Europe.
Address: Walter Van Trier BIEN Secretary Bosduifstraat 21 B-2018 Antwerpen, Belgium phone:03/2204181 (office) 03/2711642 (home)
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