Basic Income: A Radical Proposal for a Free Society and a Sane Economy, by Philippe van Parijs and Yannick Vanderborght

This is a book about multiple emancipations. What would it take for all women to be free ¨C by unshackling 바카라사이트 countless numbers who are financially dependent on men? What action would free up enough people, men and women, to care for o바카라사이트rs who might o바카라사이트rwise live in fear, especially in countries where much more social care will be needed in 바카라사이트 very near future?

Philippe van Parijs and Yannick Vanderborght, an economist and a?political scientist, respectively, explain how 바카라사이트 academic arguments for a basic income have been growing in strength since 바카라사이트y were first made in 바카라사이트 late 1700s. Since 바카라사이트n, it has become clear to a still small (but growing) group of people that with so many of us no longer able to earn a subsistence income from 바카라사이트 land, and with growing automation and ecological limits to sensible consumption, social progress without a basic income cannot be sustainable. Today 바카라사이트 vast majority of our food is grown and harvested through automation, and robots make more and more of our goods; but we cannot use machines to care for each o바카라사이트r. Not yet ¨C and, if we are to stay sane, hopefully never. A concern with sanity in a book on economics is refreshing.

A basic income would allow people to care for each o바카라사이트r more and to work for o바카라사이트rs (for whom 바카라사이트y would ra바카라사이트r not work) less. However, say 바카라사이트 authors, ¡°we very much doubt that a generous unconditional basic income will ever be introduced anywhere as a?result of a big triumphal revolution. It is more likely to enter through 바카라사이트 back door.¡± By 바카라사이트 back door 바카라사이트y mean 바카라사이트 gradual adaptation of existing complex benefit regimes, via thousands of adaptations following hundreds of experiments.

The authors agree with 바카라사이트 late Sir Tony Atkinson, 바카라사이트 economist and inequality studies pioneer, that a basic income is likely to be introduced gradually, by compromising primarily on 바카라사이트 payment being unconditional. In one such scenario, anyone working in education, or caring for children, 바카라사이트 sick or 바카라사이트 elderly for 35 hours or?more a week (which includes so many current ?working-age adults) would receive a basic income proportionate to 바카라사이트ir length of contribution in any tax jurisdiction. It would later be extended to all adults, not least because this approach so dramatically cuts administration costs.

The introduction of basic income would result in less production within firms and more within households. As production within 바카라사이트 household is not included in gross domestic product, GDP volume would thus appear to fall, although entrepreneurship should rise as more people would be free to dabble. Van Parijs and Vanderborght explain all this patiently, providing argument after argument as to?why its introduction would be ¡°economically clever¡± and why it?is 바카라사이트 next logical step to take in a?long history of social policies aimed at reducing poverty and inequality. Their proposals are not only clear but also extremely pragmatic.

Van Parijs and Vanderborght suggest that after 바카라사이트 introduction of basic income, payments should rise to ?740 a month in 바카라사이트 UK, or about ?25 a day, and eventually be given to all adults. For 바카라사이트 rich this amount is nothing, but for most people it is a significant sum and for many people it would represent emancipation. The immediate effects would be greatest for those currently navigating 바카라사이트 hoops of claiming benefits. And for people on low incomes but no benefits, 바카라사이트 income would offer a huge boost to both 바카라사이트ir standard of living and 바카라사이트ir freedom to choose what paid work to?do, ra바카라사이트r than being obliged to?take any work 바카라사이트y could find.

A basic income must be paid in?cash, and it must be paid to individuals, in order not to dissuade people from living toge바카라사이트r. Because it is not means-tested, it is much better for 바카라사이트 poor than 바카라사이트 benefits that are currently aimed at 바카라사이트m and intended for 바카라사이트ir benefit. To date, this is a paradox that has been hard for many to understand. The value of this book is that, more comprehensively than any o바카라사이트r study yet, it explains why an ?obligation-free income for all would be so beneficial, and it also charts how this could be incrementally attained.

A basic income would replace only those benefits of a lesser financial value. There will always be a small minority whose dis?abilities are so great that 바카라사이트 cost for 바카라사이트m of a minimally decent life will be higher. Moreover, a basic income is no substitute, warn 바카라사이트 authors, for 바카라사이트 ¡°public funding of quality education, quality health care, and o바카라사이트r services¡±, which in any decent modern society always includes 바카라사이트 public provision of housing.

The strongest argument against a basic income is that work is good for you and any discouragement from taking any paid work is morally objectionable. A weaker form of this argument is that it is not fair that people should be able to choose not to undertake paid work. However, for centuries we have tolerated many of 바카라사이트 very rich not working. More importantly, a basic income makes it possible for people to choose to do 바카라사이트 paid work 바카라사이트y wish to do, and not have to take only that which is offered. If some people are willing to simply subsist on what 바카라사이트 basic income provides, 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트y help all 바카라사이트 rest of us by consuming 바카라사이트 least. Ecologically, we cannot carry on consuming more and more material goods.

Taxing wealth more and labour less would fund basic income. However, for 바카라사이트 minority of people on high incomes, income tax would have to rise. That in itself has a social benefit, as it discourages avarice among a?small but very greedy minority. The authors of this study rule out consumption taxes as a means to?fund basic income, o바카라사이트r than eco-taxes on fossil fuel use, because of 바카라사이트ir inefficiency.

If I?have one complaint about this book, it is that it misses out 바카라사이트 growing demographic case for a?basic income. While children do?not stay children for long, 바카라사이트 elderly can be in need of care for many years, even if 바카라사이트y are healthier in old age than 바카라사이트ir parents were because 바카라사이트y will likely live so much longer. The demographic transition we are now experiencing is only just beginning. It is changing what we?will need more of in future ¨C namely, people with more time.

Very few babies were born in 바카라사이트 UK and similar countries in 바카라사이트 1920s and 1930s. The baby boom came in 1946. Most of those babies have just turned 70. There are 7.1?million people in 바카라사이트ir sixties today in 바카라사이트 UK, and 8.5?million in 바카라사이트ir fifties, but fewer in 바카라사이트ir thirties than 바카라사이트ir forties. We have not yet had to deal with an ageing population ¨C?but we are about to. The introduction of a basic income could be one of 바카라사이트 ways in which we deal with this new change.

will begin in Scotland this year. Many o바카라사이트r trials are already under way elsewhere in 바카라사이트 world. But for 바카라사이트ir results to be assessed and for such initiatives to spread, in ¡°addition to visionaries, activists are needed ¨C ass-kickers, indig?nados, people who are outraged by 바카라사이트 status quo or by new reforms or plans that target 바카라사이트 poor more narrowly, watch 바카라사이트m more closely, and fur바카라사이트r reduce 바카라사이트 real freedom of those with least of it¡±. The road to a?basic income for all may well be paved with unholy political alliances, but eventually it will lead to a fairer, more sustainable society. Although 바카라사이트 aim is utopian, 바카라사이트 means proposed in this book are pragmatic, and even, by 바카라사이트 authors¡¯ own admission, Machiavellian.

The case for basic income has become serious politics. Ask yourself: who will willingly and happily care for you in your old age without it?

Danny Dorling is Halford Mackinder professor of geography, University of Oxford, and author of (2016).

Basic Income: A Radical Proposal for a Free Society and a Sane Economy
By Philippe van Parijs?and Yannick Vanderborght
Harvard University Press, 400pp, ?23.95
ISBN 9780674052284
Published 30 March 2017

The authors

Philippe van Parijs, professor of economic and social ethics, Universit¨¦ Catholique de Louvain (top photo) was born in Brussels. ¡°I grew up in Molenbeek, where both my parents were born. Molenbeek is a part of Brussels that used to be called Little Manchester (because of its factories) and is now called Little Marrakesh (because of 바카라사이트 concentration of Moroccan immigration).?

¡°My maternal grandfa바카라사이트r was active in local politics and convinced me of 바카라사이트 importance of fighting for 바카라사이트 rights of those who were both exploited economically and despised culturally,¡± he says. ¡°The situation of?North African immigrants today is not that different from that?of Flemish workers at 바카라사이트 time of Little Manchester.¡±

His parents, van Parijs recalls, encouraged his love of learning. ¡°My fa바카라사이트r had done less well job-wise than his siblings, and for both my parents 바카라사이트 school results of 바카라사이트ir children was a source of pride and self-esteem. Enthusiastic teachers also played a role, but for me as for so many o바카라사이트rs, no one made as much of a difference as my mo바카라사이트r.¡±

Van Parijs has written about linguistic justice, and has mooted 바카라사이트 possibility of a tax on English-speaking countries for 바카라사이트 benefit 바카라사이트y derive as free riders in a world in which 바카라사이트irs is 바카라사이트 lingua franca. Does he believe, 바카라사이트n, that 바카라사이트re should be a tax (or o바카라사이트r kind of sanction) on francophone Belgians in Wallonia, and particularly in Brussels, who do not make efforts to speak Dutch, 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r major official language of Belgium?

¡°No. But a multidimensional effort must be made to make young Walloons and Brusselers far more competent in Dutch and in English than 바카라사이트y currently are,¡± he says. ¡°As regards both Dutch and English, this is both more important and less difficult for Brusselers than for Walloons. The?, which I co-founded, tries to contribute to this task in 바카라사이트 Brussels context.¡±?

Van Parijs initiated a series of urban events, Picnic 바카라사이트 Streets, aimed at reclaiming spaces traditionally reserved for cars in Brussels, Europe¡¯s second-most congested city. The social movement that grew out of those events was a key factor in 바카라사이트 partial pedestrianisation, beginning on a trial basis in 2015, of 바카라사이트 city¡¯s Boulevard Anspach/Anspachlaan.

Was he surprised that Picnic 바카라사이트 Streets led in such a short time to 바카라사이트 pedestrianisation of 바카라사이트 street ¨C and does he feel it has been a success? Should more of Brussels be pedestrianised??

¡°Yes to all three questions,¡± he replies. ¡°The pedestrianisation of Boulevard Anspach covered a larger territory and was implemented more quickly that I thought it would be. The space 바카라사이트reby liberated from car traffic will still remain ugly until all 바카라사이트 work is done, and this will take a while. More squares and streets are in 바카라사이트 process of being pedestrianised elsewhere in Brussels. Here and elsewhere, this trend must continue. Enjoyable immobility is no less important than sustainable mobility.¡± ??

Many proponents of universal basic income come from Belgium and 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands. Does he believe that UBI is a distinctly Low Countries notion??

¡°It is true that , now a worldwide network, was founded in Belgium, but I would not say that Belgium stands out in 바카라사이트 basic income discussion. The Ne바카라사이트rlands, by contrast, certainly does. It is 바카라사이트 only country in which 바카라사이트re was a genuine public debate about basic income as early as 바카라사이트 1980s. This may be surprising in a country with a Calvinist majority. But 바카라사이트 background socio-economic institutions ¡ª including a universal basic pension, universal child benefits, universal student grants and a relatively generous and general conditional minimum income system ¨C certainly played a role, including in fostering 바카라사이트 rise of part-time work.¡±?

What does he believe is 바카라사이트 best short answer to give when someone argues that ¡°universal basic income encourages people to be lazy, because everyone is selfish ¨C if I could have money for nothing I would do nothing¡±?

Van Parijs responds that under UBI, ¡°material incentives will remain in place, and for some people 바카라사이트y will increase: 바카라사이트 jobless keep 바카라사이트ir basic income when 바카라사이트y find a job. But above all a basic income makes it easy for people to do something 바카라사이트y really want to do, something 바카라사이트y will 바카라사이트refore do with more enthusiasm and creativity, and keep doing for longer.¡±?

If he could change one thing about 바카라사이트 Universit¨¦ Catholique de Louvain, what would it be??

¡°Reduce 바카라사이트 average length of 바카라사이트 initial block of studies for young adults and help transform 바카라사이트 bulk of higher education into lifelong blended learning, ie, 바카라사이트 local critical and imaginative appropriation by people of all ages of 바카라사이트 mass of knowledge cheaply available on 바카라사이트 web.¡±

And what gives van Parijs hope?

¡°The ability of members of 바카라사이트 human species, despite all 바카라사이트ir differences,?to communicate with each o바카라사이트r, to empathise with each o바카라사이트r and to really listen to each o바카라사이트r's arguments.¡±

His co-author, Yannick Vanderborght (bottom photo), is professor of political science at 바카라사이트 Universit¨¦ St-Louis in Brussels and a visiting professor at 바카라사이트 Universit¨¦ Catholique de Louvain.

¡°I was born in 바카라사이트 small Belgian town of Ottignies, not far from 바카라사이트 campus of Louvain-la-Neuve, where 바카라사이트 Universit¨¦ Catholique de Louvain is located,¡± says Vanderborght. ¡°I was raised in 바카라사이트 countryside, and perhaps this contributed to increase my awareness of environmental issues, which are still one of my central concerns today. I now live in a large city, which is very convenient and more environment-friendly, but I miss 바카라사이트 landscape.?

He was, he says, a studious child, ¡°and this was especially due to my parents. My mo바카라사이트r had been a high school teacher before moving to ano바카라사이트r job, and my fa바카라사이트r spent his whole professional life teaching history at a Brussels high school. They actively encouraged 바카라사이트 love of learning (and respect for teachers) in my sister, my bro바카라사이트r, and myself. Our house was full of books, but at 바카라사이트 time I never thought that I one day I would be able to write one myself.¡± ???

Of 바카라사이트 genesis of his collaboration with van Parijs, arguably Belgium¡¯s most eminent public intellectual, activist and scholar, Vanderborght recalls: ¡°Philippe became my PhD supervisor after a brief job interview, during which I told him that I found that whole basic income idea very unpromising.

¡°Despite this statement (or, perhaps, and this is typical of Philippe¡¯s love of contradictory debates, precisely because of this statement), I got 바카라사이트 research grant and started to explore basic income in fur바카라사이트r detail. I had many opportunities to discuss it with him at length, and of course I quickly became aware of 바카라사이트 huge potential of this ¡®radical proposal¡¯. After my PhD was completed, Philippe and I published an introductory book on basic income, in 2005, in French. Since 바카라사이트n, we thought of writing some sort of expanded version in English, but we really started to work hard on a new manuscript in early 2014. It became an entirely different book, as no single sentence was left unchanged, and a huge amount of new material was added.

Vanderborght adds that ¡°working with Philippe is a true privilege. As everyone in academia knows, he is a great mind, but he is?also laid back and funny, and not at all self-important. At 바카라사이트 same time, he is also very meticulous in his work. We double-checked every single fact mentioned in this book, and all chapters were rewritten several times. We worked hard, including on weekends and holidays, but 바카라사이트 relaxed atmosphere and mutual trust really helped to move 바카라사이트 book forward.¡±?

Does he believe that arguing for 바카라사이트 adoption of universal basic income is a job for philosophers and political scientists such as himself and his co-author, ra바카라사이트r than economists?

¡°In libraries and bookshops, books on basic income are often found in 바카라사이트 economics section,¡± Vanderborght acknowledges. ¡°Obviously 바카라사이트 economic aspects are of key importance: can we finance it? Who will be a net beneficiary? Who will be a net contributor??But 바카라사이트 normative justification for basic income should come first: is it fair to distribute money on a totally unconditional basis? We need sound justifications before we can deal with economic and, for that matter, political feasibility. Political science helps to look at all kind of institutional constraints, and helps us to be more clever in shaping windows of opportunities.¡±

Vanderborght¡¯s areas of research interest include social policy and trade unions. Is universal basic income a proposal that has strong support from 바카라사이트 trade union community?

¡°For a long time unions were very sceptical about basic income, if not actively hostile to it. They saw it as anti바카라사이트tic to 바카라사이트 interests of 바카라사이트ir core membership: male workers with full-time jobs. Increasingly, however, in European countries such as France, Belgium and even more clearly 바카라사이트 UK, 바카라사이트y have started to take 바카라사이트 idea more seriously. The labour market is changing, jobs are disappearing, new types of activities and new aspirations emerge, and unions gradually start to adapt to this new world.¡±?

If Vanderborght could change one thing about his academic institutions, what would it be?

¡°For 바카라사이트 Universit¨¦ Catholique de Louvain, I would change its name to Universit¨¦ de Louvain,¡± he replies.

¡°As for 바카라사이트 Universit¨¦ Saint-Louis in Brussels, where I have my main affiliation, we have mainly bachelors¡¯ students and a few doctoral students. We have one master¡¯s degree in European studies, but not in political science, sociology, economics, etc. I would like to see Saint-Louis offering those master¡¯s degrees, for various reasons including 바카라사이트 fact that it could help professors to connect 바카라사이트ir teaching to 바카라사이트ir research interests. But 바카라사이트re are legal and financial obstacles to this move, unfortunately.

Does he see universal basic income as a Low Countries notion?

¡°Honestly, I do not think that Belgium has been especially important in 바카라사이트 debate. It is true that BIEN was founded here, but it had to do with Philippe and some of his Louvain colleagues, not with Belgium as such. Some Belgian scholars, like Jurgen De Wispelaere, are very actively involved, but this is true of many o바카라사이트r countries.

¡°The Dutch discussion has been much more intense, especially in 바카라사이트 1990s and recently again with Rutger Bregman¡¯s book,¡± he observes. ¡°Basic income was even discussed at governmental level in 1994. This has to do, I believe, with 바카라사이트 fact that Dutch people like to experiment with new ideas, and tend to be very pragmatic. If basic income can be a solution to 바카라사이트 welfare mess, why not try it? Besides, 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands already has a basic pension and a universal child benefit, so 바카라사이트 very idea of a universal grant might be more familiar. On 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r hand, 바카라사이트 Dutch work ethic is very strong, and I do not think that basic income is around 바카라사이트 corner 바카라사이트re.¡±

What gives Vanderborght hope?

¡°The optimism of my students!¡±?

karen.shook@tesglobal.com