Left and Right Unite! – For the UBI Fight!
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Andrew Yang is not proposing a new kind of economy, he is proposing a new type of capitalist reforms. He is a reformer like all the others politicians, including the Neo-new dealers wearing the socialist hats
Left winning election in Spain
The Far Right, Vox Party, was initially projected to get more seats – 30-35 – than it actually did (24) which is comforting in a small way. This organisation primarily emerged out of, and in response to , Catalunya’s attempt to secede from Spain. All those naïve Leftists who supported Catalan nationalism as some sort of “progressive! movement should be hanging their heads in shame. By their actions they paved the way for a revival of the Spanish Far right and its distinctly fascist tendencies.
All nationalism, be it or the Left or the Right, is fundamentally reactionary . As old Charlie Marx, the workers have no country, they have a world to win
Robbo,
It sounds like a national tug of war: they will be at it indefinitely, covering their own mashed steps from this ongoing divide.
And this ongoing divide is being fought over by individualist notions of left:right. It will not end with that kind of ideological twisting by national identity politics- ‘a tragedy of the commons’!
Robbo, what is your understanding of the partisan positions; and this ceaseless deadlock?
L.B.
An appropriate moment to remind folk that the Scot Nats are parading through Glasgow on the 4th May and our members will be in attendance to leaflet.
Not sure if they have produced a special leaflet for the occasion though.
Once again the spectre of another separatist referendum is looming. I have a feeling that it won’t have the same very high turn-out as before in 2014, even with Brexit.
“Not sure if they have produced a special leaflet for the occasion though.”
They haven’t but have substantial quantities of the ‘Identity’ leaflet in their possession. In addition, supplies of the ‘Q & A about Socialism’ and ‘It’s not the Tory or Labour Parties, it’s Capitalism‘ leaflets have been sent to them from HO.
Robbo message #185702:
All nationalism, be it or the Left or the Right, is fundamentally reactionary . As old Charlie Marx, the workers have no country, they have a world to win
It looks like some human beings have not learned from past history
A dampener on UBI but I doubt the progressives will heed
Research conducted for Public Services International, a global trade union federation, reviewed for the first time 16 practical projects that have tested different ways of distributing regular cash payments to individuals across a range of poor, middle-income and rich countries, as well as copious literature on the topic. It could find no evidence to suggest that such a scheme could be sustained for all individuals in any country in the short, medium or longer term – or that this approach could achieve lasting improvements in wellbeing or equality.
http://www.world-psi.org/sites/default/files/documents/research/en_ubi_full_report_2019.pdf
Despite the above report throwing cold water over the supposed benefits of UBI , the Labour Party is thought to be going ahead with their version.
A UBI specialist, suggested that the costs could be met by adapting or abolishing the system of personal tax allowances, providing an economically deprived community with a basic weekly income instead of existing means-tested benefits – with the exception of housing benefit.
Every adult in the UK should receive a weekly basic income of £48, according to the recommendations in a new report.
The move could be paid for by scrapping more than 1,000 tax reliefs, a report by Professor Guy Standing, a professor at SOAS University suggests.The report, entitled Basic Income as Common Dividends: Piloting a Transformative Policy, was written by Professor Standing, an authority on the concept of the basic income. He was asked to write it by the Progressive Economy Forum, a left-leaning group of economists.
Standing, told the BBC: “A basic income would be paid in cash, a moderate amount, a basic amount unconditionally to each individual man and woman equally, a smaller amount for a child and the good thing is it would be unconditional and it wouldn’t be means tested and it would be a right, an economic right.”
In March the New Economics Foundation think tank published a report in which it proposed replacing the personal tax allowance with a Weekly National Allowance of £48. However, it did not call it a basic income. A week later the leftwing think tank Compass, suggested a universal basic income of £60 for each adult, £175 for those over 65 and £40 for children under the age of 18.
The RSA charity wants to see every adult in Scotland given a basic annual income of £2,400, rising to £4,800. Children would be paid £1,500.
Labour would trial universal basic income if it wins power, shadow chancellor John McDonnell has revealed.
Pilot schemes would be held in Liverpool, Sheffield and the Midlands, McDonnell told the Mirror.
The plan would do away with the need for welfare as every citizen would be given a fixed sum to cover the basics whether they are rich or poor, in work or unemployed.
McDonnell said people can spend the money how they like, but it is intended for study, to set up a business or leave work to care for a loved one.PoliQuads, an online magazine, has published an issue on UBI with contributions from two comrades, one from the Indian party. It is here:
https://www.poliquads.com/articles/categories/universal-basic-income
You have to sign up to read it, but don’t have to pay.
Incidentally, comrades have also contributed to previous issues, on cannabis legalisation, anti-fascism and China.
At the end of the day, if we base UBI on capital based monetary values (and in the social totality [both in states, and between them]) we will see it through money. It is capital over labour, and setting a new baseline of basic income/ or basic poverty.
I finally gave up on any hope of change- the capital system is in ruins and it won’t reform. It will hire cheap and sell big. It has no future-
It is the apex predator, and it follows master/slave, lord/serf, and capital/labour power relations. It is old,it is fattened, and it seems enduring! It can change itself to survive- yet it is the same power over.
We need change, but, the voters sleep: putting their vote on the herd that will enslave, or offer their brand of protection.
UBI… it is a beef intervention- a payment to be dormant- a market forgotten!
In the developing world, or developed- it supports the mart- even poverty at UBI level is put to use.
I might rant. But I have reached my tether, and the tether stings.
We are social beings, no more hierarchy in wealth, in society. No to the apex predator.
I am sick of the divide, the fighting and the wealth versus poverty- the division is constructed… and can be reconstructed.
The ubi narrative circulates, but can human economics circulate too, it seems not.
The best option we have is a socialist economy- but it seems so far.
Ubi can feed- a basic nutrient- but it is not a full meal: it is a level above starvation- and prevents it. What a ball to throw.
Signing out,
L.B
The latest is that Sheffield offers itself up to be a trial city – a pilot involving 4,000 people would cost between £18m and £60m, depending on the extent of the scheme.
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/jun/12/sheffield-council-backs-universal-basic-income-trial
Julie Dore, the leader of the Labour-controlled council, said she recognised the transformative effect UBI could have on the residents of Sheffield, particularly given increasing automation in the workplace.
“UBI has the potential to be a bold, radical change to how our economy and society works with benefits for people’s wellbeing and how we support people in need,” she said. “In order to face up to these realities, I think it is completely right that radical solutions are considered. As a council, we are getting behind this and committing to looking at this further and working with a Labour government in trialling this.”Sam Walby, a co-founder of UBI Lab Sheffield, a grassroots group of researchers and activists said: “It’s an idea whose time has come. It seems to have been included in a lot of new visions, whether that’s for politicians or political writers.
“There seems to be a common theme that’s running through, which is, ‘how do we reimagine the welfare state for the 21st century’? We’re not saying this is a silver bullet that could solve everything, but we need to be exploring it. Some of its results might be completely surprising and unexpected.”
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