Since the 1990s, there has been a growing interest for economic cash transfers as development policy tools. Thus, this thesis aims to study basic income as a development policy idea. From its postcolonial and feminist theoretical framework, a question about potential arises. Can basic income promote development without further enforcing global marginalization and colonial structures? Basic income is a relatively new idea in the development policy debate. Thereby, empirical examples are few. Because of this, the thesis studies the scientific discourse on basic incomeas a development policy idea. This is done through discourse analysis based upon postcolonialand feminist theory. Theory and research on microcredit are further taken into consideration. Thus, the thesis investigates how identity and development processes are made within thescientific discourse. The analysis identifies an antagonism between the identities available to the potential recipients. An identity that is free in its form is made impossible since rationality and autonomy are vital for development on an individual and a societal level. Additionally, development is constructed as a linear and cumulative process, which strengthens the hegemonic power of the west. The analysis shows that the basic income is affected by neoliberal dominance. Hence, basic income, as presented in the material of this study, hasminor chances of promoting sustainable and worthy development for individuals in the third world.

The study investigates to what extent would the introduction of the Basic Income Grant (BIG) address poverty in South Africa. The BIG, which was recommended by a government led Taylor Committee of Inquiry into a Comprehensive System of Social Security for South Africa in 2002, is recommended as one of the most likely strategies through which the high poverty levels could be mitigated. Exponents of the BIG argue that this far reaching policy is desperately needed to rid South Africa’s communities of poverty. However, critics argue that the introduction of the BIG would be unaffordable, unsustainable and would increase dependency on the state. The study presents three case studies. The first case study gives an overview of poverty in South Africa. It asserts that an estimated 15.4 million people are still living in poverty. The second case study provides a general idea of the current social protection system. It examines how the current system has performed its function of addressing poverty. The third case study examines the possibility of introducing the BIG in South Africa and considers the arguments presented by its proponents as well as its critics. The study further evaluates the different options which could be utilised to finance the implementation of the basic income grant. The potential impact of the grant is scrutinised, and specific attention is focused on its possible social and economic impact. The impact of the current government anti-poverty programmes to alleviate income, asset and human capital poverty is considered briefly. The study concludes that the current social security programmes are reasonable as a supplement to the anti-poverty initiatives; however because of the continuing inequality in our country it also accepts that the social security system needs to be improved in order to close the existing gaps. Copyright / Dissertation (MAdmin)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / School of Public Management and Administration (SPMA) / unrestricted

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<p>Namibia is one of the most unequal countries in the world and has high rates of poverty. In the thesis the proposal for a basic income grant as a strategy for poverty alleviation in Namibia is analyzed. The study is based on six interviews with the Basic Income Grant Coalition in Namibia and their four publications. The theoretical and methodological framework is Fairclough’s critical discourse analysis and social theory of discourse. Conceptions about the economical and political situation of Namibia in relation to inequality are discussed, as well as the image of the desired citizen in neo-liberal societies. Poverty is conceptualized as a trap where the BIG is regarded as a way out from poverty to a situation of confidence, engagement and economic activity. Contemporary classifications and means testing for social grants are problematized as inefficient and discriminative. The BIG is regarded as right in the context of the big inequalities in Namibia. It is suggested that the BIG Coalition with the proposal for the grant also offers alternative conceptions about Namibia and about the possibilities for change in the situation of poverty.</p>

Namibia is one of the most unequal countries in the world and has high rates of poverty. In the thesis the proposal for a basic income grant as a strategy for poverty alleviation in Namibia is analyzed. The study is based on six interviews with the Basic Income Grant Coalition in Namibia and their four publications. The theoretical and methodological framework is Fairclough’s critical discourse analysis and social theory of discourse. Conceptions about the economical and political situation of Namibia in relation to inequality are discussed, as well as the image of the desired citizen in neo-liberal societies. Poverty is conceptualized as a trap where the BIG is regarded as a way out from poverty to a situation of confidence, engagement and economic activity. Contemporary classifications and means testing for social grants are problematized as inefficient and discriminative. The BIG is regarded as right in the context of the big inequalities in Namibia. It is suggested that the BIG Coalition with the proposal for the grant also offers alternative conceptions about Namibia and about the possibilities for change in the situation of poverty.

The basic income concept is a bold, challenging, and provocative proposal. It is an income unconditionally paid by a government, at a uniform level and at regular intervals, to each adult member of society. The grant is paid irrespective of whether the person is rich or poor, lives alone or with others, is willing to work or not. It should guarantee that all recipients have sufficient material conditions for their existence. This scheme is proposed as a mechanism of distributive justice, and as a tool to combat unemployment without increasing poverty. The economic independence would secure real freedom for all - an opportunity to do what they might want to do, including the permanent idleness. Implementing the basic income is to change current economic and social realities, not only the welfare system. The aim of this diploma thesis is to find ethically relevant aspects in the argumentation of positives and negatives of a basic income and to point out problems that are related to the concept of a basic income in ethical terms.

De la capacité d’une société à repenser ses liens sociaux, dépend son développement à la fois politique, social et économique. L’État peut, pour contribuer de manière déterminante à la production de sens, développer des outils, entre autres des mécanismes de redistribution, susceptibles d’assurer la solidarité et la cohésion sociale. L’enjeu est d’importance pour certains pays comme la Namibie, dont l'histoire est marquée par le colonialisme et l'apartheid ─desquels il s'est libéré il y a à peine plus de vingt ans─ et qui sont construits sur une logique de séparation inégalitaire des droits et des ressources. À partir de l'exemple du Basic Income Grant (BIG), projet-pilote de revenu citoyen garanti mis en place dans un village de la Namibie entre 2007 et 2009, ce mémoire propose d'explorer l'apport du concept d'empowerment dans ce projet en tant qu'outil de déconstruction de ces structures inégalitaires. Après avoir exposé différentes conceptions des notions de pauvreté, de richesse et de développement, nous aborderons la question du revenu citoyen garanti et de la place qu'il peut prendre dans différents systèmes de protection sociale. Puis, nous tenterons de mieux cerner le concept d'empowerment pour finalement arriver à répondre à notre principal questionnement: le projet BIG permet-il effectivement l'émancipation ou au contraire, fait-il en sorte de renforcer le sentiment de dépendance et d'impuissance vécu par la communauté isolée, vivant dans des conditions d'extrême précarité? Des entrevues ont pour ce faire été conduites auprès de 15 participants, soit des membres du village d'Otjivero, des intervenants engagés dans le regroupement d'acteurs de la société civile namibienne étant à la source de l'initiative, et des représentants gouvernementaux. L’analyse de ces résultats est présentée en dernière partie de travail. / The political, social and economic development of a society depends on its ability to rethink its social ties. To contribute significantly to the production of meaning, the State may develop tools, among which redistribution mechanisms, capable of ensuring solidarity and social cohesion. The challenge may be greater for some countries − such as Namibia, whose history is marked by colonialism and the period of apartheid, which it freed itself of about twenty years ago − that are built around a logic of unequal separation of rights and resources. Based on our study of the implementation of the Basic Income Grant (BIG) pilot project in a Namibian village between 2007 and 2009, this paper proposes to explore the contribution of the concept of empowerment, within a basic guaranteed income project, as a tool for deconstructing these unequal structures. After describing different views of poverty, wealth and development, we will address the issue of basic guaranteed income and the role it can play in different social protection systems. Then we will try to better understand the concept of empowerment before finally focusing on our central question: does the BIG project actually enable emancipation or, conversely, does it strengthen the feelings of dependency and powerlessness experienced by the small isolated community living in extremely precarious conditions? To find an answer to this question, interviews have been conducted with 15 participants: members of the small community of Otjivero, Namibian stakeholders involved in the initiative from the beginning; and representatives from the government. Analyses of these results are presented in the final part of the paper.

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L’objection de l’exploitation est couramment soulevée lorsqu’il est question de l’implémentation d’un revenu minimum garanti. Celle-ci stipule que le versement d’un revenu minimum sans attente de contrepartie est fondamentalement injuste pour les travailleurs. Ce mémoire conteste cette objection en démontrant qu’un revenu minimum garanti ne pose pas de danger fondamental à la balance de la réciprocité. Dans le premier chapitre, la façon dont un revenu minimum garanti est financé est abordée. Il y est montré que les coûts d’un tel programme peuvent être couverts avec une taxe sur les ressources appartenant à la collectivité, sans toucher aux avoirs des travailleurs. Le second chapitre porte sur une comparaison entre le revenu minimum garanti et un revenu basé sur la participation. Elle permet de mettre en lumière les nombreux désavantages de cette deuxième option, sa mise en place risquant d’entraîner d’importants coûts financiers et humains. Le troisième chapitre s’attaque à l’objection de l’exploitation telle que formulée par Gijs van Donselaar. Les preuves qu’il fournit sont toutefois jugées insuffisantes et la thèse selon laquelle le versement d’un revenu minimum garanti encourage le parasitisme est réfutée. En ce qui concerne la perception qu’ont les travailleurs du revenu minimum garanti, il est argué qu’ils peuvent être convaincus du bien-fondé de ce programme en faisant appel à certaines valeurs centrales aux démocraties. Le dernier chapitre poursuit cette réflexion en montrant qu’un revenu minimum garanti peut être financé sans recourir à de nouvelles taxes, ce qui est expliqué en faisant appel à la théorie monétaire moderne. / The exploitation objection is commonly raised whenever the implementation of a universal basic income is mentionned. It stipulates that the payment of a minimum income without any form of obligation in return is fundamentally unfair to workers. This thesis challenges this objection and aims to show that a universal basic income does not pose any fundamental threat to the balance of reciprocity. In the first chapter, the way in which a universal basic income can be paid for is discussed. I show that such a program can be entirely funded using taxes on resources equally owned by all members of society, leaving workers’ earnings unspoiled. The second chapter focuses on a comparison between a universal basic income and a participation income. This discussion highlights the many disadvantages of the latter, the implementation of which could lead to significant financial and human costs. The third chapter tackles the exploitation objection directly, as formulated by Gijs van Donselaar. He provides insufficient evidence to demonstrate that the payment of a universal basic income encourages free-riding and his argument is therefore rejected. This leads to a closer inspection of the workers' perception of a universal basic income, which concludes that they can be convinced of the legitimacy of such program by appealing to intrinsically democratic values. The last chapter pursues this reflection by showing that a universal basic income can be implemented without resorting to new taxes, which is supported by modern monetary theory.

The Basic Income concept in the perspective of Agent-Based modelling Abstract: The thesis study the relationship between the basic income introduction and the price level. The basic income would replace the existing social security. The resulting redistribution induce changes in the aggregate demand through the concave consumption function. The aggregate demand in turn affect the price creation mechanism. Because the price level is a result of activity of many different agents with private motivation and information, the work used a simple macroeconomic agent-based model to isolate the relationship. The simulation however did not succeed in isolating the possible link between the price level and the basic income introduction.