Fot.1 http://cdn.images.express.co.uk/img/dynamic/78/590x/Finland-money-624756.jpg
Finland's
experimental scheme to provide its citizens with a basic income, regardless of
employment, launched earlier this week.
The
two-year pilot scheme will provide 2,000 unemployed Finnish citizens, aged
between 25 and 58, with a monthly basic income of 560 euros ($581.48) that will
replace their other social benefits.
These
citizens will continue to receive the basic income even if they find work.
Kela,
the organization which runs Finland's social security systems and is running
the pilot scheme, hopes the basic income experiment will boost employment,
because the current system can potentially discourage the unemployed to find
work as their earnings reduce the benefits they may receive.
"For
someone receiving a basic income, there are no repercussions if they work a few
days or a couple of weeks," said Marjukka Turunen, head of Kela's Legal
Affairs Unit, in a press release.
"Incidental
earnings do not reduce the basic income, so working and self-employment are
worthwhile no matter what."
Fot2. http://fm.cnbc.com/applications/cnbc.com/resources/img/editorial/2015/11/25/103197090-GettyImages-142014996.530x298.jpg?v=1448466031
Basic income would fix this, he says: “It would
activate many more unemployed people.”
This is a part of the debate that often gets missed.
Monthly checks for everyone may look like socialism, but proponents advance it
to invigorate capitalism.
From Italy to India, companies that would like to
leave behind unprofitable enterprises in favor of fresh pursuits hold back
because of the expense and reputational damage of firing people. Basic income
could be the tool that makes restructuring palatable.
With basic income in place, companies might be more
inclined to take a risk on hiring more aggressively — adding vigor to the local
economy — knowing they have the freedom to be ruthless in cutting loose those
workers who prove disappointing.
FRIEDRICH HAYEK: I
have no objection against a flat minimum security to everybody who cannot earn
enough in the market.
MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.: There is a great deal that the society can and must do if the Negro
is to gain the economic security that he needs. Now, one of the answers, it
seems to me, is a guaranteed annual income, a guaranteed minimum income, for
all people and for all families of our country.
RICHARD NIXON: What
I am proposing is that the Federal Government build a foundation under the
income of every American family with dependent children that cannot care for
itself — and wherever in America that family may live.
What
do you think about basic income?
Would
you be happy to receive basic income?
What
could be disadvantages of basic income in Poland?
Resurces:
Comments
Money help us to measure the utility of everything. If everyone gets the basic income then everyone will start doing what they want - and of course Finnish government thinks that people will become painters, engineers, scientists instead of living from paycheck to paycheck while hating the current job. I think that people will start playing video games and laying on the couch 24/7 since basic income will cover food and rent expenses.
Money represent cruel motivation: "If you want to eat and pay for rent do something that society needs now", but I can't imagine a better solution, only if all hated jobs are taken by robots - but in this case basic income will not be necessary at all.
Besides the money given to people doesn’t come from thin air, the government takes it from people in taxes and gives them it back again.
I don’t really see how would it work, but I might be wrong :)
I don't think that it will stop them from finding the job, cause 500 euro it's not so much money in Finland.