What does an unconditional basic income actually mean and how can it be paid for? And how does the Corona crisis affect the implementation of an UBI? Prof. Bernhard Neumärker addresses these questions in his lecture “The sustainable way to an unconditional basic income via a net basic income for the Corona pandemic” (held in German). The lecture was given on March 24, 2021 as part of an online panel discussion organized by the Evangelische Akademie Tutzing in cooperation with the Evangelisches Bildungswerk Regensburg.  Further informations can be found here (in German).

The PhD project is part of the larger Basic Income research project in Indonesia that studies how basic income is potentially linked with nature protection and tackling climate change, and how these possible linkages can be addressed in an embedded social-ecological context that is highly relevant for climate stabilization and reversing biodiversity loss at planetary scale and, at the same time, enhancing human well-being. A context that is well-represented in jurisdictions that are rich in forest ecosystem and biodiversity yet with poor population as observed in the provinces in Indonesia where tropical rainforests remain intact such as those in Papua.

The closing date for applications is on 15 July 2021 at 23:59 CEST. Following decision by the
selection committee and administrative process the successful candidate will start as soon as
possible thereafter.

Please send your application documents as an email to Dr.rer.pol. Sonny Mumbunan
(sonny.mumbunan@ui.ac.id). For further information on the conditions and benefits of the
position in Germany, please contact Ms. Gudrun Kaufmann (gudrun.kaufmann@fribis.uni-freiburg.de).

Photo by Ferran Fusalba Roselló on Unsplash

Geoff Crocker of the FRIBIS Team ‘Financing UBI’ (FUBI) writes in “Prospect” magazine, describing the complex way the state currently borrows money from itself to finance COVID aid spending, and how much simpler it would be if it consistently and openly created the money itself debt-free, and paid it out to everyone by means of a basic income – without danger of inflation. 
In fact, Crocker says, this is clearly taking place anyway in financing the lockdown, but it is clouded by traditional orthodox complex concepts, which make it inefficient, as well as unnecessarily creating risk free margins for intermediaries in the stock market.

The full article is available on the Prospect Magazine website.

The Basic Income Earth Network World Congress – BIEN Congress 2021 – will be held this year in Glasgow, Scotland, August 18th-21st.
(Assuming pandemic protection measures allow).

If you would like to contribute in front of an international audience of experts at the congress, please submit the completed contribution form by April 16, 2021.

Papers presented at the BIEN Congress may be submitted for the 2021 Basic Income Studies Prize by October 1st, 2021.

On the 26.10.2020, Prof. Dr. Bernhard Neumärker introduced his model of a Net Basic Income to the German Parliament’s Petitions Committee, with the intent of a direct implementation in times of the Corona-Crisis, and with the option to extend it to a full Basic Income once the crisis has passed.

Susanne Wiest’s Petition to implement a Universal Basic Income during the crisis was signed by 176.134 people, making it one of the most signed petitions in german history. In order to be able bring forward a concrete implementation proposal at the hearing, she asked Prof. Neumärker to illustrate his model.

Delegates of all parties of the german parliament asked questions about the Net Basic Income. Governmental representatives were also questioned about the government’s relief efforts during the Corona crisis in comparison to the possibilities of a Net Basic Income, as well as the possibilities of a quick implementation.

The delegates’ questions revealed a mainly critical attitute towards the model. They adhered to the priciple of individualized and requirement based support, even though it currently doesn’t reach all those in need, as Susanne Wiest and Prof. Neumärker emphasized. Susanne Wiest also pointed out that a Universal Basic Income constitutes a basic right to an income for everyone.

Some delegates suspected a discrepancy between the idea of a Universal Basic Income and the model of a Net Basic Income. An immediate implementation of the Net Basic Income was declared impossible by the governmental representatives. One delegate asked why people whose income isn’t affected by the crisis – such as parliamental delegates – should receive a basic income along with the people who actually need the support. The Net Basic Income in fact tries to give an answer to that question.

The hearing only allowed a rudimentary illustration of the Net Basic Income. With that, it is under discussion, and allows a further elaboration.

In comparison to the hearling of Susanne Wiest’s first petition regarding a Universal Basic Income ten years ago, the delegates were better informed and moreopen to the idea of a Basic Income. However, the parliament decided to reject the petition.

You can watch here the recording of the hearing on the german parliament’s media center and a discussion with Susanne Wiest, where she talks about the hearing and the next steps for the petition (both videos in german).

Media reports

BIEN: Bundestag considers Emergency Basic Income Petition

Berliner Zeitung: Could basic income help Germany tackle the effects of Corona?

Media reports in german

taz: Bedingungslose Hilfe in der Krise

Berliner Zeitung: Bedingungsloses Grundeinkommen: Aus der Utopie wird eine Möglichkeit

Badische Zeitung: “Viele fallen bei Corona-Hilfen durchs Raster”

Neue Westfälische: Warum sich diese Frau für ein Bedingungsloses Grundeinkommen stark macht

Enorm Magazin: So könnte das Krisen-Grundeinkommen aussehen.

Bayrischer Rundfunk: Ist jetzt der richtige Zeitpunkt?