LF49 Dr. Malcolm Torry – Why We Need A Citizen’s Income

Dr. Malcolm Torry discusses his new book Money For Everyone – Why We Need A Citizen’s Income.

Due to government cuts, the benefits system in the UK is currently a hot topic. In this timely book, a Citizen’s Income (sometimes called a Basic Income) is defined as an unconditional, non-withdrawable income for every individual as a right of citizenship. Money for Everyone is the first book for over a decade to analyse the social, economic and labour market advantages of a Citizen’s Income. It demonstrates that it would be simple and cheap to administer, would reduce inequality, enhance individual freedom and would be good for the economy, social cohesion, families, and the employment market.

The book also contains international comparisons and links with broader issues around the meaning of poverty and inequality, making a valuable contribution to the debate around benefits. Whether you’re capitalist, socialist, somewhere in between or even beyond, you may believe the very idea of a Citizen’s Income to be variously unworkable, unaffordable, unethical or some combination thereof. However, in a world of growing poverty and inequality, spiralling military spending, banks too big to fail and the Ponzi scheme of debt-based fiat currency, it is perhaps worth looking again at how we could radically improve the lot of the many through more inventive and imaginative economic systems.

Dr. Malcolm Torry is Director of the Citizen’s Income Trust; he has first degrees in mathematics, theology, philosophy, and economics and management; and higher degrees in social policy and in theology. He has recently completed an honorary research fellowship in the Social Policy Department at the London School of Economics. He is Team Rector of the Church of England Parish of East Greenwich.

www.citizensincome.org

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