Finland considers a universal basic income for all citizens

Discussion in 'Economics' started by Sotnis, Dec 7, 2015.

  1. Xela

    Xela


    Exactly so.

    It's been widely discussed in many countries for many decades.

    And contrary to its perception in some quarters, it's actually an old right-wing idea, not an old left-wing idea at all.
     
    #11     Dec 7, 2015
    marketsurfer likes this.
  2. I like the old jewish year of jubilee law. Just make it big and make it one time. For instance, anyone who was a citizen on Dec 31 gets 800/mo for life. Citizen on Jan 1? sorry.
     
    #12     Dec 7, 2015
  3. d08

    d08

    Not the same, to my knowledge Finland is offering it to any citizen unemployed or not. That's excellent in the sense that it's true fairness.
    So 2 people can actually afford to share a small apartment without working.
     
    #13     Dec 7, 2015
  4. couldn't agree with you more. The number one tool and power for the government comes in the form of means testing. Both in benefits and in taxation.
     
    #14     Dec 7, 2015
  5. Jones75

    Jones75

    Hey, where do I sign up?

    I'm living in Ontario (on the edge of bankruptcy), Canada and the gov here pays unions, millions of tax payers $'s, just to come to the bargaining table, and no receipt required. True. Mainstream media uncovers it, makes headlines, then forgotten two weeks later. And by the way, the last union boasted on how they had 65 million in the bank.

    So I have no guilt or shame if any gov wants to give me $870 month.
     
    #15     Dec 7, 2015
  6. Indeed; I did not realise that if the person had any income, tehy would still qualify.
    Could this bring hyper-inflation to Finland?
     
    #16     Dec 7, 2015
  7. d08

    d08

    Finns are spendthrift and it's not like it's a lot of money for most of them.
     
    #17     Dec 8, 2015
  8. #18     Dec 8, 2015
  9. d08

    d08

    That's a lie. I speak a little Finnish and looked it up on jokakoti.fi, you can get a small-ish apartment in Helsinki burbs for €550, that leaves €250 for electricity, internet and water - it's plenty.
     
    #19     Dec 8, 2015
  10. at anyrate, the idea is to eliminate food stamps, welfare, section 8 housing and replace it with social security for life and give everybody from Warren Buffet all the way down to me x$ per month adjusted for inflation. It's simply a much more cost efficient way of distributing wealth if that is what you want to do.
     
    #20     Dec 8, 2015
    d08 likes this.