Academic papers

A variety of contemporary academic papers on topics pertinent to Universal Basic Income may be accessed and downloaded from this page.

• Haarmann, Claudia and Haarmann, Dirk (2005) The Basic Income Grant in Namibia Resource Book. A well written BI proposal available on line from http://www.cdhaarmann.com/Publications/big_Resource_Book.pdf  (See also the Cassasas report on BI for Timor Leste at Basic income for East Timor? an exploratory report. (PDF, 120KB))
• Harriss, Ian and Robbins, Bill. (2007) From Harvester to Work Choices (PDF, 60KB). A paper presented at 10th Annual Labour History Conference - Australian Society for the Study of Labour History, Melbourne 4-6 July 2007.
• "Welfare to Work" and Beyond: Social Security and the Changing Labour Market (PDF, 342KB), Merrindahl Andrew, 2001. An Honours Thesis on contemporary Australian Social Security and labour market welfare submitted to the School of Social Sciences, Faculty of Arts at Australian National university, Canberra.
• Cassassas, David; Raventos, Daniel and Wark, Julie (2007) Basic Income and the right to existence in Timor-Leste (PDF, 89KB). A paper for the European Association for South-East Asian Studies 5th Conference Naples, 12-15 September 2007
• Atkinson, A. B. (2000). The Case for a Participation Income (PDF, 943KB) in Goodin, Robert E. and Mitchell, Deborah, Thefoundations of the welfare state volume I, Cheltenham, Glos: Edward Elgar Publishing Inc, pp.459-462.
  Library Note: This portion is part of a larger pager range: Pp 109 - 118; 221 - 258 and 459 - 462 +
• Boston, J. and St John, S. (1999). Targeting Versus Universality: Social Assistance for All or Just for the Poor (PDF, 315KB) in Boston, J; Danziel, P and St John, S (eds), Redesigning the welfare state in New Zealand, Auckland: Oxford University, pp.93-113.
• Tomlinson, John (2006) "The self made man: admiring his creator": Basic Income beats targeted welfare (PDF, 53KB) New Community Quarterly, 4 (4), Summer 2006, pp. 52-55, http://www.borderlands.org.au/ncq/
• Tomlinson, John (2007) "Australia: Basic Income and Decency" New Community Quarterly, 5 (1), Autumn 2007, pp.33-41, http://www.borderlands.org.au/ncq/
• Hall, Brett (2006) Universalism versus targeting of income support in Australia (PDF, 31KB) bc.hall@student.qut.edu.au
• Castles, F. (2001). A farewell to the Australian welfare state (PDF, 101KB) Eureka Street, 11 (1), 29-31.
• Tomlinson, John (2006) Australia: Basic Income and Decency (PDF, 100KB) Paper given at the 11th BIEN Congress, University of Cape Town, in Cape Town, South Africa 2nd-4th November.
• Cook, Beth. (2004) Welfare "reform" in Australia, 1975 to 2004: from entitlement to obligation (PDF, 81KB). A paper presented at The 6th Path to Full Employment Conference/ 11th National Unemployment Conference at the University of Newcastle, Dec 8-10. Copies of the refereed conference proceedings are available from CofFEE: coffee@newcastle.edu.au
• Tomlinson, John (2005) Faint praise for a chimera: Selectivity versus universalism in social policy (PDF, 132KB). A paper presented at the December 2005 Unemployment Conference CofFEE, University of Newcastle NSW
• ‘There but for the Grace of Wealth Go I’ (PDF, 46KB), John Tomlinson, 1997
  Dependency as well as implying looking to another person or institution for support also means ‘subordination or subjection; (for example) the dependence of the church upon the state’ (Delbridge, et al 1987 p. 476).
• 'Income Support in An Open Economy: Basic Income Revisited' (PDF, 451KB) 10 Proceedings papers from the 1995 Basic Income Seminar published by the Victorian Council of Social Services (VCOSS) and Good Shepherd Youth and Family Services. In order of appearance, the authors are Sue Jackson, Michael Raper, Peter Baldwin, Rob Watts, Belinda Probert, Bettina Cass, Peter Saunders, Jocelyn Pixley, John Tomlinson and David Knoop.
• 'How Dare We' (PDF, 67KB) John Tomlinson. Paper presented at the 10th National Conference on Unemployment the 5th Path to Full Employment Conference and the 10th National Conference on Unemployment, December 2003 at CofFEE, The Centre of Full Employment and Equity, The University of Newcastle, NSW. Australia.
• ‘One Basic Way to mitigate the effects of Unemployment’ (PDF, 76KB)
  7th National Conference on Unemployment University of Western Sydney December 2000
  
  Because most people excluded from the labour market for lengthy periods have few other ways of obtaining income, the structure and style of implementing the system of income support substantially determines the standard of living and degree of security experienced by low-income earners.
  
  Governments throughout the English speaking western world have imposed means testing, targeted benefits, activity testing and 'mutual obligation' regimes to discourage those without paid work from becoming 'dependent' on the State. These governments are determined to limit the amount of income support so as discourage people remaining on benefits.
  
  Ministers often claim they are determined to encourage people to find alternative to ‘living on welfare’ in order to prevent ‘dependency’ (Newman 1999).The Australian Government has worked hard to try and ensure there is a financial benefit obtained by people being employed compared with receiving unemployment benefits. These features constitute the less eligibility principle.
• Unemployment welfare: The underpinning ethics justifying Australia’s enforced categorical Mutual Obligation system compared with those for a Basic Income (PDF, 74KB).
  
  Simon Schooneveldt, Centre for Social Change Research, Queensland University of Technology. Paper presented at the CofFEE Centre of Full Employment and Equity Conference: The Full Employment Imperative, 5th Path to Full Employment and 10th National Conference on Unemployment, 10 – 12 December 2003. The University of Newcastle, NSW. Australia.
  Abstract Australia’s unemployment levels continue to remain high enough to cause widespread social hardship. Casual, part time workers and other ‘working poor’ now represent the majority of Australian employees. Australia’s categorical or targeted and enforced Mutual Obligation system for unemployed welfare recipients is based upon ideology that has been popularly accepted as ethical, due to the use of a metaphor of ‘giving something back in return’. This paper examines the ethical underpinnings used to support and promote Australia’s targeted Mutual Obligation system for unemployed welfare recipients, and compares and contrasts those with the ethical underpinnings put forward by proponents for an unconditional Basic Income.
  
  
• Poverty Reduction and Welfare Provision for Single Parents in Aotearoa/ New Zealand and the United States (PDF, 62KB): A Comparative Analysis (PDF, 62KB) (2007) Christine Todd. University of Auckland. Paper for USBIG Conference (Feb 2007)
• Tomlinson, John (1998) The war on poverty (PDF, 73KB). Published in Anarchist Age Monthly Review No 80. July
• Tomlinson, John (2005) Must be the grog, can't be the Government (PDF, 235KB). A paper presented at Engaging Communities Conference, Brisbane Australia.
• Tomlinson, John (2008) Timor Leste: Minimum wages, job guarantees, social welfare payments or Basic Income. (PDF, 80KB)
• Why Australian Workers and Unions Should Support Basic Income (PDF, 141KB)
  John Tomlinson, with assistance from Penny Harrington and Simon Schooneveldt
  
  The journey to a full iniversal Basic Income is essentially the search for the answer to just one question: "How do we best meet the income support needs of all those who find they are without the capacity to provide for themselves?" This paper will try to answer that question.
• From Basic Wage to Basic Income: Work, Unemployment and Justice (PDF, 67KB) A paper presented by John Tomlinson at the 5th Path to Full Employment Conference and the 10th National Conference on Unemployment, December 2003 at CofFEE, The Centre of Full Employment and Equity, The University of Newcastle, NSW. Australia.
• Mediating Welfare Ethics: Selectivity or Universalism? (PDF, 73KB) Simon Schooneveldt. Centre for Social Change Research, Queensland University of Technology. Key Words: Welfare; Selectivity; Universalism; Ethics; Basic Income; Mutual Obligation; Income Support. ABSTRACT:
  Some of the underpinning ideologies that drive Australia’s selective income support system are explored by examining the ethical justifications used to support targeted welfare systems, which are driven by concepts such as Mutual Obligation. Such justifications for selectivity are contrasted with the ethical justifications that are used to promote the concept of Universalism for income support, a concept that has been attracting increasing attention in social science circles internationally.
  
  Allan McDonald has issued a July 2005 Oasis Australian newsletter on IR changes (PDF, 30KB) which also looks at income
  security for those not working: OASIS-Australia Organisation Advocating Support Income Studies in Australia Convener: Allan McDonald 28 Prince St Urangan Qld. 4655
  email: allanmcd@keypoint.com.au
  Tel: 07 4128 9971
  Newsletter July 2005: The implications of the proposed changes to industrial relations legislation announced by the Australian Federal Government have prompted this revival of the OASIS-Australia Newsletter. This response introduces two concepts which I believe provide the basis for a new approach, and a new prespective to the proposed changes. The present debate must continue. Is there a place for the ideas put forward in this newsletter? I will appreciate your comments.
• Allan MC Donald Continues his 2005 series of papers on the current and controversial Australian Industrial Relations Reform Legislation with an Oasis-Australia Newsletter for August (PDF, 24KB) with a futher edition in October (PDF, 17KB), November and three in January 2006: January 4th (PDF, 19KB), January 11th (PDF, 20KB) and January 14th (PDF, 18KB) with more to follow. See the Oasis Australia page under About Biga.
• Keith Rankin’s homepage 
  Keith Rankin has compiled a series of papers and refereed academic publications on Basic Income on his web page within the UBINZ website. (Universal Basic Income New Zealand).