SoylentNews is people
SoylentNews
from the handouts-instead-of-gov't-jobs-or-worker-owned-cooperatives dept.
Common Dreams reports
As a way to improve living standards and boosts its economy, the nation of Finland is moving closer towards offering[1] all of its adult citizens a basic permanent income of approximately 800 euros per month.
[...] The monthly allotment would replace other existing social benefits, but is an idea long advocated for by progressive-minded social scientists and economists as a solution--counter-intuitive as it may first appear at first--that actually decreases government expenditures while boosting both productivity, quality of life, and unemployment.
[...] The basic income proposal, put forth by the Finnish Social Insurance Institution, known as KELA, would see every adult citizen "receive 800 euros ($876) a month, tax free, that would replace existing benefits. Full implementation would be preceded by a pilot stage, during which the basic income payout would be 550 euros and some benefits would remain."
[...] Under the current welfare system, a person gets less in benefits if they take up temporary, low-paying or part-time work--which can result in an overall loss of income.
[...] As Quartz reports, previous experiments with a basic income have shown promising results:
Everyone in the Canadian town of Dauphin was given a stipend from 1974 to 1979, and though there was a drop in working hours,[PDF] this was mainly because men spent more time in school and women took longer maternity leaves. Meanwhile, when thousands of unemployed people in Uganda were given unsupervised grants of twice their monthly income, working hours increased by 17% and earnings increased by 38%.
[1] Link to The Independent in TFA was redundant IMO.
...and, before anyone shouts SOCIALISM!, this is actually Liberal Democracy (of the Bernie Sanders type).
An actual move toward Socialism would subsidize the formation of worker-owned cooperatives. An initiative to do that was floated in 1980. 5 percent of taxes would have gone into a pool (kinda like USA's Social Security fund). The Finns rejected it. Source: Prof. Richard Wolff
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday December 08 2015, @02:12PM
I think you missed the safety net part. This income does not preclude you earning your own living.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday December 08 2015, @02:55PM
For $800 a month, I'd just sit on the couch and surf soydot all day.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday December 08 2015, @03:07PM
I give you six months tops before you find something more productive to do. Unless you're a statistical outlier, then who cares?
(Score: 2, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday December 08 2015, @03:19PM
This. I don't think most people have had to just sit around for any extended period of time, like in the case of an injury which requires it. It is completely miserable. You feel like a caged animal.
Would some or even a decent portion try it as this program began? Yeah, probably. It really wouldn't last long though.
People have an innate desire to be useful and a part of something greater than themselves. That pie-in-the-sky utopia we all want is possible, but it takes cooperation and the admission that monarchy and the king of the hill bullshit that permeates our world societies is better off in the past.
Let's evolve, together, now.
(Score: 2) by SanityCheck on Tuesday December 08 2015, @04:22PM
I must say I agree with the above to some degree. I had spent some time at home, and by the end of it it was mind numbing.
However, there were reasons which exist now that made it slightly less bearable that may not be there in the future. For one thing you felt disconnected from others who would go to work everyday. This is really a big one that makes staying home so insidious. But if a lot of people stay home, there would be a societal change. People might end up hanging in Starbucks more with others who also stay home for example. So your feelings of isolation will subside.
I'm not saying that it will be all good, but it will be easier than it is now, and definitely different. Some new and exciting things might arise from all this free time, or the time could just be pissed away, we will have to wait and see.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday December 08 2015, @04:27PM
Weed is legal where I live, man.
(Score: 2) by wisnoskij on Tuesday December 08 2015, @04:31PM
First, off, no. No matter how much money you make on the side, you will be relying on that 800 extra. And secondly, the cost of living will go up. That is what the free market is designed to do. The cost of everyu handbuger and every rental unit is directly based on how much money the people make.