Basic Income

by Guy Standing

Paperback, 2017

Status

Available

Call number

362.582

Publication

Pelican (2017), 320 pages

Language

Original language

English

Description

Shouldn't everyone receive a stake in society's wealth? Could we create a fairer world by granting a guaranteed income to all? What would this mean for our health, wealth and happiness? Basic Income is a regular cash transfer from the state, received by all individual citizens. It is an acknowledgement that everyone plays a part in generating the wealth currently enjoyed only by a few. Political parties across the world are now adopting it as official policy and the idea generates headlines every day. Guy Standing has been at the forefront of thought about Basic Income for the past thirty years, and in this book he covers in authoritative detail its effects on the economy, poverty, work and labour; dissects and disproves the standard arguments against Basic Income; explains what we can learn from pilots across the world and illustrates exactly why a Basic Income has now become such an urgent necessity.… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member the.ken.petersen
This book gives an amazingly readable history of the idea of Universal Basic Income and leaves one convinced that this is an idea whose time will come very soon.

Mr Standing does not exaggerate, or pull punches: the entire concept is set out clearly, and with an eye for the facts. It seems, at
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first, to be a foolish idea, that people should be paid for, effectively, doing nothing but, this book shows that capitalism needs customers as badly as it does entrepreneurs. In a wonderfully ironic paradox, the system crushes the little man but, cannot survive without him.

The Green Party of England and Wales is the only British political party looking at this scheme seriously but, as is always the case, overseas governments are on the verge of stealing a march upon us.

Watch this space for the start of political debate.
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DDC/MDS

362.582

Original publication date

2017-05-04

Physical description

320 p.; 4.37 inches

ISBN

0141985488 / 9780141985480
Page: 0.4866 seconds