Basic Income European Network

| 07/10/03 | | |
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It has been one of the recurrent paradoxes - and
curses ? - of basic income that it is advocated
by people situated on both the left and the right
of the political spectrum. Yet another, quite
spectacular instance of this contrast is provided
by the coincidence of two very recent events. On
the 28th of September, Christine Boutin, leader
of a small, particularly conservative component
of Chirac's right-wing coalition, presents a
report advocating a "universal dividend". At
about exactly the same time, the German PDS, heir
of the East German communist party, sets up a web
site and organises a first public debate on the
idea of an unconditional basic income, thus
showing that its acting chair Katja Kipping meant
business when she spoke out in favour of it at a
recent party convention.

These developments and many others will be
discussed at our Barcelona Congress on 18-21
September 2004. BIEN's Executive Committee will
meet in Barcelona on 25 October 2003 in order to
further specify a number of features of the
Congress, jointly with the local organising
committee, to visit its site, and also to think
about the future of BIEN beyond the Congress. If
you wish to take an active role in the
preparation of the congress by organising a
panel, do get in touch urgently with the chairman
of the scientific committee (see instructions
below).

And do keep your newsletter informed of any
relevant publications and developments you are
aware of.

The Executive Committee