Global justice. Real security for people everywhere.
World basic income differs from national-level basic income in that it would gather money at the global level, and distribute it to every person worldwide. Ideally this would be in addition to basic incomes provided in each country by national governments - 'as well as', not 'instead of'.
Security to live on, no matter what.
Achieving change is not easy, and as basic income campaigners we all have a long fight ahead of us. It may take many decades, and some national governments may still refuse to introduce national basic incomes in their countries. Without other decent social safety nets, residents of these nations may continue to live without basic income security for decades or even centuries to come. And given that in 2015, one in ever 122 people in the world was internally displaced, seeking asylum or a refugee, it may be unwise to rely only on schemes that operate at the national level. People are often most vulnerable when they have to leave their homes. Universal worldwide coverage of basic income would provide security when people are slipping through the cracks of other kinds of help.
A world basic income may be just as difficult to achieve politically, but the potential pay-off is huge. It could provide a thorough safety net for every person in the world, preventing us all from falling into extreme poverty. Malnutrition, illiteracy and destitution could be wiped out, simply by people having access to a modest regular share of our world's wealth. Every person would have the means to start a small business, employ a neighbour to fix their roof, buy antibiotics for their child. These are basic human rights that are currently denied to billions of people throughout the world, in rich countries as well as poor ones. A world basic income could guarantee these rights for us all.
World basic income provides the ultimate form of security. Even if your country is run by a despot, ravaged by war or disaster, or suffers economic collapse, you would still receive your world basic income. No matter who you are or where you are, a world basic income could provide us all with the means to buy food, water, transport to escape danger, or a roof for the night when we need it most.
A world basic income may be just as difficult to achieve politically, but the potential pay-off is huge. It could provide a thorough safety net for every person in the world, preventing us all from falling into extreme poverty. Malnutrition, illiteracy and destitution could be wiped out, simply by people having access to a modest regular share of our world's wealth. Every person would have the means to start a small business, employ a neighbour to fix their roof, buy antibiotics for their child. These are basic human rights that are currently denied to billions of people throughout the world, in rich countries as well as poor ones. A world basic income could guarantee these rights for us all.
World basic income provides the ultimate form of security. Even if your country is run by a despot, ravaged by war or disaster, or suffers economic collapse, you would still receive your world basic income. No matter who you are or where you are, a world basic income could provide us all with the means to buy food, water, transport to escape danger, or a roof for the night when we need it most.
Redirecting global wealth to the grassroots.
A world-level basic income scheme is a relatively new idea. Although organisations like the United Nations have existed for many years, we don't have world level taxation and benefits programmes in the way that many national governments do. This means that there are few mechanisms to even up inequalities between countries, or to redistribute income from global elites back to the wider population.
It is estimated that around 75% of the difference in wealth between any two people in the world will come from inequalities between the countries in which they live. No matter how hard a person works, or how much they study, or how wisely they invest, most people in low income countries won't be able to earn a decent income, and many will have no way out of enduring poverty. World economic systems (which have usually been designed by elites) tend to direct wealth upwards, where it circulates among the well-off. It is usually only through deliberate political action, demanded and enforced by the people, that we can re-capture the wealth that we create. World basic income could be a political action that we begin to demand, as a way of re-capturing a better share of global wealth for all of the world's people.
At World Basic Income, we believe that the extent of world inequality is deeply unjust, and that mechanisms should be introduced to redress it. A world basic income would aim to scrape money off the top of the world economy by intercepting wealth as it flows between well-off corporations and individuals. This money would then be pumped back into the world economy from the grassroots. Unlike national basic incomes - which do a great job of addressing inequalities within countries - a world basic income could help to even up flows of wealth between countries and help shift money from global elites into the pockets of ordinary people.
It is estimated that around 75% of the difference in wealth between any two people in the world will come from inequalities between the countries in which they live. No matter how hard a person works, or how much they study, or how wisely they invest, most people in low income countries won't be able to earn a decent income, and many will have no way out of enduring poverty. World economic systems (which have usually been designed by elites) tend to direct wealth upwards, where it circulates among the well-off. It is usually only through deliberate political action, demanded and enforced by the people, that we can re-capture the wealth that we create. World basic income could be a political action that we begin to demand, as a way of re-capturing a better share of global wealth for all of the world's people.
At World Basic Income, we believe that the extent of world inequality is deeply unjust, and that mechanisms should be introduced to redress it. A world basic income would aim to scrape money off the top of the world economy by intercepting wealth as it flows between well-off corporations and individuals. This money would then be pumped back into the world economy from the grassroots. Unlike national basic incomes - which do a great job of addressing inequalities within countries - a world basic income could help to even up flows of wealth between countries and help shift money from global elites into the pockets of ordinary people.
No one left behind.
The mantra 'think global, act local' is useful in reminding us that we should all do what we can do, in whatever spheres of influence we can access, to make our collective lives better. Local or national actions, including smaller-scale basic incomes, are extremely valuable and in many many cases, working in the arena you know best will be the best way to achieve positive change.
However, for most people who care about others, that sense of solidarity doesn't stop at the border. If we had the opportunity to share positive change more widely, and work with our sisters and brothers around the world to make things better for all of us together, we would take it.
Campaigning for a world basic income is a way that all of us, from any country or background, can speak together and demand our fundamental human rights. We can insist that in some matters, such as our basic needs for survival and our desire to live a dignified life, we are all one. The world is rich and we are smart enough to put men on the moon. It is time to choose to move forward with no one left behind.
However, for most people who care about others, that sense of solidarity doesn't stop at the border. If we had the opportunity to share positive change more widely, and work with our sisters and brothers around the world to make things better for all of us together, we would take it.
Campaigning for a world basic income is a way that all of us, from any country or background, can speak together and demand our fundamental human rights. We can insist that in some matters, such as our basic needs for survival and our desire to live a dignified life, we are all one. The world is rich and we are smart enough to put men on the moon. It is time to choose to move forward with no one left behind.
