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Title: Finland is considering giving every citizen €800 a month
Source:
UK Telegraph
URL Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wor ... every-citizen-800-a-month.html
Published: Dec 6, 2015
Author: Adam Boult
Post Date: 2015-12-06 12:42:26 by cranky
Keywords: None
Views: 8162
Comments: 62
Proposals for a national basic income are intended to simplify the social security system and encourage more unemployed people to take on temporary work Authorities in Finland are considering giving every citizen a tax-free payout of €800 (£576) each month. Under proposals being draw up by the Finnish Social Insurance Institution (Kela), this national basic income would replace all other benefit payments, and would be paid to all adults regardless of whether or not they receive any other income. Unemployment in Finland is currently at record levels, and the basic income is intended to encourage more people back to work. At present, many unemployed people would be worse off if they took on low-paid temporary jobs due to loss of welfare payments. More than 10 per cent of Finland's workforce is currently unemployed, rising to 22.7 per cent among younger workers. According to research commissioned by Kela, close to 69 per cent of the Finnish population favours the idea of a national basic income. Finnish Prime Minister Juha Sipila Detractors caution that a basic income would remove people's incentive to work and lead to higher unemployment. Those in favour point to previous experiments where a basic income has been successfully trialed. The Canadian town of Dauphin experimented with a basic income guarantee in the 1970s and the results - both social and economic - were largely positive. Finnish Prime Minister Juha Sipilä supports the idea, saying: “For me, a basic income means simplifying the social security system.” The basic income will cost Finland roughly €46.7 billion per year if fully implemented. Kela's proposals are due to be submitted in November 2016. The Dutch city of Utrecht is also planning to introduce a basic income, albeit solely for welfare recipients. From next month more than 250 unemployed residents of the city will be given a monthly sum to live on, with researchers monitoring the outcome to determine what effect it has on employment. Switzerland is also considering introducing a national basic income. In September the Swiss parliament voted, with a large majority, for a motion calling on the Swiss people to reject the Popular Initiative for Unconditional Basic Income. However, a nationwide referendum on the issue is slated for 2016 and, according to a recent online poll, 49% of the Swiss would currently vote in favour of its introduction. 
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Begin Trace Mode for Comment # 61.
#1. To: cranky (#0)
(Edited)
Under proposals being draw up by the Finnish Social Insurance Institution (Kela), this national basic income would replace all other benefit payments, and would be paid to all adults regardless of whether or not they receive any other income. Unemployment in Finland is currently at record levels, and the basic income is intended to encourage more people back to work. At present, many unemployed people would be worse off if they took on low-paid temporary jobs due to loss of welfare payments. Fair Tax advocates in the USA are considering giving every citizen a tax-free payout/prebate of $1000. each month. Under proposals being draw up by the Fair Tax legislators this national basic income would replace all other benefit payments, and would be paid to all adults regardless of whether or not they receive any other income. Unemployment in the USA is currently at record levels, and the basic income (AKA as a 'Prebate') is intended to encourage more people back to work. At present, many unemployed people would be worse off if they took on low-paid temporary jobs due to loss of welfare payments. It's probably too late for a tax scheme like the Fair Tax (with prebate) - coupled with a repeal of ALL income tax codes, -- to avert national financial collapse, -- - but it may be worth a try.
Alaska does it. We could do it nationally by changing the laws to get money from natural resource royalties.
You can't live off a resources boom, sooner or later the money runs out
Live off of? Why do you assume this is meant as a salary substitute - it is a bonus to American citizens for use of their land.
I understand what these things are about, spending long term value on short term political objectives. Yours isn't the only country where pups are sold and bought and it looks very attractive in times where other revenues might be low. The reality is there is no free lunch, when the resources are gone, what then? By all means extract a resource rent, royalty, whatever you want to call it, but invest it in something that provides long term value and future employment because tomorrow's citizens have just as much stake as today's
Why are you assuming this would be a substitute for incomes? And why do you want the govt to keep and distribute the money?
Governments raise taxes to provide services to citizens, they should not raise taxes to directly redistribute wealth. Doing so is one of the worst forms of socialism. When you provide the citizens with income from government coffers, no matter what you call the distribution they eventually see this as a right, an inalienable right, so that should there be a need to change it will be met with political angst. Ask yourself how many welfare or social security measures, and I use the terms in the broadest sense,are ever repealed? There is a massive national debt, if you tax resourse industries why not put the money to reducing the debt, eventually the tax burden can be reduced but how can you continue to run up the debt at teh same time making wealth distributions to citizens. It defies logic
What does that have to do with raising royalties on public lands to distribute to the landowners aka citizens - like Alaska - Why are so many American conservatives so stupid? Is it the dumbed down talk radio?
Even Alaska is realising theat their policies are bankrupting their state.
Which has zero to do with the royalties program - seriously why are you against citizens getting royalties?
What I see is that if you give someone something for nothing evenually you reduce the will of the people to look after themselves. giving individuals money they didn't earn seems a great idea but you try to take it away later when things get tough
So we should tax inheritance at 100%??
#62. To: Pericles (#61)
(Edited)
where did that come from? it is so far left it has circled right around, Inherititance is not the same as government handouts, an inheritance comes to maybe a few people and secures an economic benefit so it is not disipated, a government handout disapates economic benefit. Let me give you an example, in my own nation in the wake of the GFC the government paid a benefit of more than $1,000 to all adults in the hope of stimulating the economy, this did not have the desired benefit because many paid down debt and others gambled, while still others kept the money in their bank account in case things got worse, so that there was no stimulous. The government response was to do it again the next year with the same result. This sort of socialistic thinking is rubbish
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/LatestAuthorities in Finland are considering giving every citizen a tax- free payout of €800 (£576) each month.
#21. To: tpaine, cranky (#1)
#52. To: Pericles (#21)
(Edited)
Alaska
#53. To: paraclete (#52)
#54. To: Pericles (#53)
it is a bonus to American citizens for use of their land
#55. To: paraclete (#54)
The reality is there is no free lunch, when the resources are gone, what then?
#56. To: Pericles (#55)
And why do you want the govt to keep and distribute the money?
#57. To: paraclete (#56)
(Edited)
Governments raise taxes to provide services to citizens, they should not raise taxes to directly redistribute wealth. Doing so is one of the worst forms of socialism.
#58. To: Pericles (#57)
#59. To: paraclete (#58)
Even Alaska is realising theat their policies are bankrupting their state.
#60. To: Pericles (#59)
#61. To: paraclete (#60)
What I see is that if you give someone something for nothing evenually you reduce the will of the people to look after themselves.
Replies to Comment # 61. So we should tax inheritance at 100%??
End Trace Mode for Comment # 61.
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