*[Enwl-eng] Universal Basic Income - Let’s try it!
ENWLine
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Cash boost for everyone. Every month. No conditions. Can we do that? Two-thirds of Europeans think we should but the EU is not so sure. With so many feeling the impact of COVID let’s give Universal Basic Income a try to see how it could work and what it would change. |
“I was told that I was more social and happier, and I think it’s because there was always some money in my account. It’s so much security for life.”
These are the hopeful words of a Finn who participated in Finland’s basic income experiment that gave a group of people cash every month, no strings attached. Its overall results were outstanding with people feeling less depressed and trusting others and institutions more. [1]
As we struggle through this pandemic - a family member unemployed, a cafe forced to close or a nurse that is overworked and underpaid - the idea of a Universal Basic Income (UBI) - where every person receives a monthly cash payment - seems more pragmatic and needed than ever
Europeans agree, a new YouGov poll shows that more than two-thirds of Europeans now support a UBI. [2]
With such widespread support a UBI should be a no-brainer for Europe! But we know that EU decision-makers still have questions about UBI’s feasibility, costs and effects on people. This is why we’re asking the Commission to back a pilot program. [3]
We are arranging a meeting with the European Commission's department working on social fairness, who have told us they are open to discussing the idea. Imagine if we arrive at the meeting not only with a poll that shows Europeans want it but also a huge petition that demands action.
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The YouGov poll shows that Europeans believe a Universal Basic Income could have massive benefits. For Italians, the benefits of a UBI included not only paying for basic needs (30%), but a reduction in anxiety for the future (42%) and the possibility to focus on doing valuable things that under our current system don’t pay the bills – like caring for others (19%), volunteering (12%) or training (19%). [4]
Europe is not doing enough to help people who are suffering - but we can redesign this failing social system. A Universal Basic Income is one way to do that. And a pilot program would be the first logical step: it would help the EU understand how it would work and see its impacts on employment, on well-being, inequality and poverty. It could help us build a programme for all Europeans that is based on actual lived experience.
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A UBI would be a great big experiment to rethink our economic system in Europe. That system is unfairly designed and has led to a situation of spiralling inequality, where the richest 1% have more wealth than the rest of the world. Over 20% of Europeans are at risk of poverty. [5] As a community, we’ve fought to stop corporate tax avoidance and tame big tech, now help us fight for a UBI that redistributes more wealth and allows people to reach their full potential.
With hope,
David (London), Marta (Warsaw), Giulio (Rome) and the
entire WeMove team
PS: UBI is supported by people from the likes of Pope Francis to physicist Stephen Hawking to economics Nobel Prize laureates. [6] Now that the idea has gained widespread support, it’s time for the EU to give it a chance: tell decision makers it’s time to give UBI a try!
References:
[1]
https://www.ubie.org/the-unheard-results-of-the-finnish-basic-income-experiment/
[2]
The survey was conducted in 6 European countries - France, Germany, Italy,
Poland, Portugal and Spain - where people expressed strong support for a UBI and
would like their governments to set up a pilot project.
https://www.wemove.eu/results-yougov-poll-about-ubi
[3] A UBI
pilot program would give a selection of EU-residents monthly cash payments for a
period of at least three years to assess the impacts of the program
WeMove Europe is an independent and values-based organisation that seeks to build people power to transform Europe in the name of our community, future generations and the planet.
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