Finland's basic income trial falls flat

[tankdude]

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-43866700

 

The Finnish government has decided not to expand a limited trial in paying people a basic income, which has drawn much international interest.

Currently 2,000 unemployed Finns are receiving a flat monthly payment of €560 (£490; $685) as basic income.

 

"The eagerness of the government is evaporating. They rejected extra funding [for it]," said Olli Kangas, one of the experiment's designers.

Some see basic income as a way to get unemployed people into temporary jobs.

 

The argument is that, if paid universally, basic income would provide a guaranteed safety net. That would help to address insecurities associated with the "gig" economy, where workers do not have staff contracts.

 

Supporters say basic income would boost mobility in the labour market as people would still have an income between jobs.

 

Finland's two-year pilot scheme started in January 2017, making it the first European country to test an unconditional basic income. The 2,000 participants - all unemployed - were chosen randomly.

 

But it will not be extended after this year, as the government is now examining other schemes for reforming the Finnish social security system.

 

"I'm a little disappointed that the government decided not to expand it," said Prof Kangas, a researcher at the Social Insurance Institution (Kela), a Finnish government agency.

Speaking to the BBC from Turku, he said the government had turned down Kela's request for €40-70m extra to fund basic income for a group of employed Finns, instead of limiting the experiment to 2,000 unemployed people.

 

 

[markb57]

"the problem with socialism is eventually you run out of other people's money"  MT.....

 

so very true...

[Muleslayer]

Thx Tank!

[umbertino]

Finland to end basic income trial after two years

 

Government rejects request for funds to expand scheme and plans stricter benefits rules

 

 

Mon 23 Apr 2018 17.24 BST Last modified on Tue 24 Apr 2018 00.40 BST

Jon Henley European affairs correspondent

 

 

 

Clients in a Finnish social security office in January 2017

Photograph: Kimmo Brandt/EPA

 

 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/apr/23/finland-to-end-basic-income-trial-after-two-years

Edited April 24, 2018 by umbertino

[umbertino]

Money problems: why Finland has given up on the basic income dream

 

As Finland’s government calls time on a bold experiment in giving citizens cash, can others still attempt such utopian schemes?

 

Anthony Painter

Tue 24 Apr 2018 16.42 BST Last modified on Tue 24 Apr 2018 22.00 BST

 

 

 

Market day in Helsinki: Finland became Europe’s first national government to undertake a basic income experiment

Photograph: eugenesergeev/Getty Images

 

 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/society/shortcuts/2018/apr/24/finland-given-up-on-the-basic-income-dream

 

 

 

Finland

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finland