Abstract
Progressive politics needs bold new visions that can be contrasted to current processes of erosion. Based on research conducted at the Progressive Hungary Foundation as well as on already existing policy proposals we elaborate a basic income scheme in line with the recent proposal of Iván Szelényi (2014) that could be immediately implemented in Hungary. In this chapter we first we analyse the political rationale of the proposal illuminating the careful balance between desirability, feasibility and achievability. The most important moral argument in favour of the basic income is that it allows a basic freedom and a basic sense of security for everyone (Van Parijs, 1995). These general arguments have been laid out in detail already so we concentrate on the politics of our scheme. Next we describe in detail the working of the scheme as divided into various eligibility groups and we also present detailed financial evidence that the proposal can be introduced immediately without impairing the balance of the budget. We conclude our proposal by pointing out the social effects of the scheme as well as elaborating the first steps towards implementing the proposal at the EU level.
Scheiring, Gábor, Sebők Miklós, and Tordai Bence. 2016. "Basic Income as a Realist’s Transformative Strategy." Pp. 103-16 in Progressive Structural Reforms: Proposals for European Reforms to Reduce Inequalities and Promote Jobs, Growth and Social Investment, edited by Cony Reuter. Brussels: Solidar & Oficyna Wydawnicza Aspra.
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