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Economic Sovereignty as the Democratization of Work: The Role of Basic Income

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  • Casassas David

    (Universitat de Barcelona, Department of Sociology, Avinguda Diagonal, 690, 08034 Barcelona, Spain)

Abstract

Let us understand economic democracy as the fourfold capacity (i) to decide what social relations we wish to “enter” in order to work; (ii) to determine the (im)material nature of the space where we decide to stay and work, which requires the capacity of having a “voice” that is effectively listened to; (iii) to opt for “exiting” this space in case its nature and functioning go against what we wish for our lives; and (iv) in case we opt for leaving, to resort to an outside-the-previous-workplace offering tools for second and subsequent opportunities, that is, to effectively “restart” our (re)productive lives in other terms and conditions. Basic income can play a crucial role in fostering such capacity. Because of its unconditionality, and thanks to bargaining power deriving from it, basic income is a sort of income that is convertible in terms of (a) time to conceive of (and put into practice) projects of one’s own, be it individually and/or collectively; (b) a capacity to explore alternative options and take promising risks; and (c) the right to credit, in the twofold sense of the right to financial resources and the right to social trust. As noticed and appreciated by some post-crash social movements, there are some spheres where such democracy-enhancing bargaining power may unfold: wage-earning work, the decommodification of labour force and the possible subsequent constitution of cooperatives and other self-managed (re)productive spaces, the household, entrepreneurship, socio-political participation, etc. In sum, more flexible combinations of different kinds of work may emerge when individuals and groups enjoy an income stream that is guaranteed as a right, which echoes both classical and contemporary discourses on the need for humans to have the democratic right to autonomously choose and determine work(s) all along the life cycle.

Suggested Citation

  • Casassas David, 2016. "Economic Sovereignty as the Democratization of Work: The Role of Basic Income," Basic Income Studies, De Gruyter, vol. 11(1), pages 1-15, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:bpj:bistud:v:11:y:2016:i:1:p:1-15:n:1
    DOI: 10.1515/bis-2016-0007
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    References listed on IDEAS

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