The Basic Income - A solution for the European Union's imbalances? | 54 comments (54 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

Re: The Basic Income (4.00 / 2)

What do you do about genuinely dirt poor entrant countries such Bulgaria ? A friend of mine is a teacher there and she earns 150 euros a month. She has to meet all her costs from that. And even in Bulgaria that's barely a living wage. So what would happen if the country started paying people who were unemployed similar amounts. Plus BG doens't want to acknowledge its roma population at all, so this would force a crisis of recognition the country can't afford.

Unless the EU has a way of fixing the systemic corruption in the country of course ? And if they do, why don't they do it for Italy as well ?

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Tue Oct 7th, 2008 at 09:34:58 AM EST

Re: The Basic Income (none / 1)

A factor 10-20 is really a bit much to accomplish what the basic income shall do in western Europe.

I can only hope that the adjustment in Bulgaria will be similar fast as in the balic republics, with high real growth + high inflation.

For excessive corruption, unfortunately I don't know a cure.

Der Amerikaner ist die Orchidee unter den Menschen
Volker Pispers

by Martin (weiser.mensch(at)googlemail.com) on Tue Oct 7th, 2008 at 09:56:23 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: The Basic Income (none / 0)

there cannot be growth in a country that is being parasitised by corruption to the extent bulgaria is suffering.

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Tue Oct 7th, 2008 at 10:04:17 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: The Basic Income (none / 0)

Investment and exports will remain sufficiently robust to keep the rate of GDP growth well above 5% over the forecast period.
2006 and 2007 were even better.

And if this corruption would really keep Bulgaria down forever, what would you propose? Just ignoring it?

Der Amerikaner ist die Orchidee unter den Menschen
Volker Pispers

by Martin (weiser.mensch(at)googlemail.com) on Tue Oct 7th, 2008 at 10:22:46 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: The Basic Income (none / 0)

Just as in many other desperately corrupt countries, the rewards of that growth stays in a few well-connected hands and there is no trickle down.

No I don't recommend ignoring it, but I really don't know what can be done about it. the government is the problem, not the solution. Elections are just basically stolen. Somebody once explained to me how the mayor of a small town got elected despite the fact that almost nobody voted for him. Not only was nobody surprised, nobody got angry cos as far as they're concerned, that's how the system "works".

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Tue Oct 7th, 2008 at 10:33:43 AM EST
[ Parent ]

If the unemployed was paid a similar amount ... (4.00 / 3)

... the teacher would now be making twice the original amount.

For corruption driven by the fact that civil servants have difficulty surviving on their salary alone ... a not uncommon situation in many Africa nations ... a social dividend would reduce that as a driving force.

Its not an anti-corruption force on its own, but an anti-corruption fight would be a shade easier to win.

I've been accused of being a Marxist, yet while Harpo's my favourite, it's Groucho I'm always quoting. Odd, that.

by BruceMcF (agila61 at netscape dot net) on Tue Oct 7th, 2008 at 04:25:41 PM EST
[ Parent ]

The Basic Income - A solution for the European Union's imbalances? | 54 comments (54 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

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