The Unconditional Autonomy Allowance: a toolfor democratic and convivial degrowth
By Vincent Liegey, September 2021
GEF_European-Green-Perspectives_Vincent-Liegey-Allowance
In European Green Perspectives on Basic Income Report
Context
Since 2017, the Green European Foundation has shaped the discussion of advancing universal basic income in Europe and, if possible, worldwide.
“European Green Perspectives on Basic Income” is the second volume of a collection of articles tackling different facets and perspectives on basic income (BI) 1.
Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the debate about basic income has gained a lot of traction. In Europe, and around the world, we’ve seen efforts to ease the economic crisis across all levels of government.
A considerable amount of aid programs that were approved included a partial basic income. For the first time, many people realised we can all suddenly find ourselves in an economically challenging situation through no fault of our own.
An unconditional basic income may help us focus our energies on finding a way out of this crisis. The Covid-19 pandemic further highlighted and aggravated social injustice and economic inequalities as much as it raised questions on the social responsibility of individuals and solidarity at all levels of society.
Objectives
Our aim is to support initiatives to foster a debate within and outside Green circles to learn from each other and to allow an exchange of alternative social policies. Following the suggestion of the “European Green network of basic income supporters”, we have updated and expanded the Green European Foundation’s publication, European Green Perspectives on Basic Income, from 2019 to create this present publication. Similar to the first edition, this second volume aims to provide insights into the discussions about BI in various European countries,–both within the Green movement as well as in the broader public–and contextualises those in historic and cultural prerequisites.
“In short, from a degrowth perspective, UBI should be implemented as a tool to reinforce democracy by reconnecting people by creating solidarities and by questioning basic needs and how to fulfil them in a sustainable way.”
