New Zealand money
Credit: The Independent
New Zealand could become one of the first developed countries to scrap benefits and introduce a basic citizens’ income.
Leader of the opposition Andrew Little said his Labour party was considering the idea as part of proposals to combat the “possibility of higher structural unemployment”.
Citizens’ income, also known as Universal Basic Income (UBI), involves a basic, unconditional, fixed payment made to every person in the country by the state in lieu of benefits.
Andrew Little, New Zealand’s Leader of the Opposition confirmed the party was considering the proposal
Mr Little confirmed his party would debate the idea at its conference on employment at the end of March.
He said significant changes to way people worked were “unavoidable” and “we expect that in the future world of work there will be at least a portion of the workforce that will rapidly move in and out of work”.
Sorry…..not correct that New Zealand might be the FIRST one to do this.
Finland, Belgium, and several cities in Holland (i’m Dutch) are already doing this. Germany is in the process and Switserland is going to have a referendum a out this.
Inge —
Thank you for the other examples. (You might look in the SR archives for other stories.) However, you have misread me. I did not say, and did not mean to imply, this was a first. I simply said it was “very intelligent.” Which it is. Wellness oriented social policies are universally cheaper, faster to implement, more effect, more efficient, and more enduring.
Thank you Inge, for the many more examples. I installed robots at Intel back in the 90s and began to see the awesome productivity of robotic automation. All the Presidential candidates, even Bernie Sanders are singing jobs, jobs, jobs. As economic anthropologist David Graeber, says they will just be ‘bullshit jobs’. With three guys running a saw mill, thanks to automation it is pretty darned obvious how the Koch Bros get their billions and what used to be working folk get less than a pittance. True, there is lots of work to do………. but not enough for everyone. This ought to be talked about in This Election. We need to discuss UBI and a shorter work week so every one is included in society. And thanks Stephan for the article.
Agreed, David
Re. the elections:
I have a somewhat unusual view of this whole election circus……being an outsider looking in.
Since the country seems to be in “disaster-mode” let it pls happen quick and clear.
With Hillary, because of her connections and background, it will be as a dying patient on e.n.d.l.e.s.s life support, but with Trump there will be no doubts anymore about the state of affairs ??
If he keeps his campaign promises (which I doubt) “establisment” will get rid of him.
If he succumbs then it’s clear that he is controlled. So, please let this morron win.
Do you have a better solution?
Inge