Keywords
Renta Básica, rentas mínimas de inserción, sistema de garantía de ingresos, renta básica en la agenda política española., Basic income, minim income, basic income in the Spanish political agenda.
Basic Income in Spain. Have we lost our opportunity?
Abstract
El debate sobre la renta básica se ha venido desarrollando en España durante los últimos años: la discusión ha pasado de reducidos grupos de académicos a los medios de comunicación y partidos políticos. En primer lugar, el nuevo partido de izquierda Podemos incluyó una renta básica (incondicional, universal e individual) en el programa para las elecciones al Parlamento Europeo en 2014. Sin embargo, tras recibir muchas críticas, en las elecciones generales de 2015 sustituyó esta propuesta por un ingreso mínimo condicional similar al existente en todas las comunidades autónomas.
En 2017, una iniciativa legislativa popular por un ingreso condicional garantizado dependiente de la Seguridad Social se ha debatido en el Parlamento promovido por los dos principales sindicatos (UGT y CCOO). Este ingreso se aleja mucho de la renta básica ya que su cuantía está por debajo del umbral de la pobreza (426 euros vs. 640), es condicional y familiar. Esta y otras propuestas similares que han defendido los diversos partidos políticos han creado confusión en la opinión pública acerca de lo que es la renta básica y cuáles son sus fines.
En esta comunicación se explicará el proceso que ha seguido este debate en los últimos tiempos. En primer lugar se explicará el sistema de garantía de ingresos existente en España que se caracteriza por su parcialidad y fragmentación. En segundo lugar se explicará la propuesta presentada a las elecciones europeas y cómo se modificó. En tercer lugar, se estudiará la iniciativa de los sindicatos y cómo ha sido acogida por ONGs, académicos, los distintos partidos políticos y la opinión pública. La tesis que se defiende es que ni Podemos, ni las asociaciones o académicos que defienden la renta básica han desarrollado una estrategia pragmática, realista y moderada para introducir la renta básica en la agenda política. Esto ha respondido en algunos casos a una decisión deliberada y en otros a una falta de realismo de cómo implementar una medida de este tipo en un contexto de fuerte crisis económica. El debate ha sido tan confuso que incluso una propuesta moderada como la de los sindicatos es probable que no salga a delante. En este punto se puede concluir que el debate sobre la renta básica se encuentra en un punto muerto lo que supone haber dejado pasar la oportunidad de introducir en la discusión una renta básica factible y bien diseñada.
The debate about Basic Income has been developing in Spain during the last few years. The discussion has gone from being argued in reduced groups of academics to being discussed in the media and by political parties. Firstly, the new left-wing party Podemos included a real BI (unconditional, universal and individual) in the political platform to the European Parliament in 2014. However, after the criticisms were received, for the general elections of 2015, this political party changed the proposal of a UBI to a conditional income similar to other minimum insertion incomes that already exist at a regional level. In 2017, a citizens initiative in favor of a conditional income at a national level has been discussed in the Parliament. The two major Trade Unions (UGT and CCOO) led this proposal. Nevertheless, the characteristics of this proposal are very far from the philosophy of UBI. Its quantity is under the poverty line (426 euros vs. 640), is conditional and familiar. This and other similar proposals defended by different political parties have created confusion in public opinion about what BI is and what is its purposes. In this paper the process as it implemented in Spain it will be explained. Firstly, the systems of guaranteed incomes we have in Spain will be briefly explained, that are partial, fragmentary and incomplete. Secondly, the proposal made by Podemos for the European Elections and how they changed it will be explained. Thirdly, the proposal made by Trade Unions and how it has been received by the NGOs, the academics, the different political parties as well as the public opinion will be explained. The contention will be argued that neither Podemos nor the associations and academics (with some exceptions) that defend BI have not had a realistic, pragmatic and moderate strategy to introduce the BI in the political discussion. In some cases, this has been a deliberate decision that shows lack of compromise with UBI and the objectives it has. In other cases, there has not been a realistic view about how to implement UBI in Spain in the context of the economic crisis. The discussion has been so confused that it is probable that the proposal made by Trade Unions will not obtain the number of votes required, although it is more modest and it has no relation with the UBI program. At this point, the debate in Spain seems to have stalled in these last few years meaning a lost opportunity to put into practice a well-designed basic income proposal.
The debate about Basic Income has been developing in Spain during the last few years. The discussion has gone from being argued in reduced groups of academics to being discussed in the media and by political parties. Firstly, the new left-wing party Podemos included a real BI (unconditional, universal and individual) in the political platform to the European Parliament in 2014. However, after the criticisms were received, for the general elections of 2015, this political party changed the proposal of a UBI to a conditional income similar to other minimum insertion incomes that already exist at a regional level. In 2017, a citizens initiative in favor of a conditional income at a national level has been discussed in the Parliament. The two major Trade Unions (UGT and CCOO) led this proposal. Nevertheless, the characteristics of this proposal are very far from the philosophy of UBI. Its quantity is under the poverty line (426 euros vs. 640), is conditional and familiar. This and other similar proposals defended by different political parties have created confusion in public opinion about what BI is and what is its purposes. In this paper the process as it implemented in Spain it will be explained. Firstly, the systems of guaranteed incomes we have in Spain will be briefly explained, that are partial, fragmentary and incomplete. Secondly, the proposal made by Podemos for the European Elections and how they changed it will be explained. Thirdly, the proposal made by Trade Unions and how it has been received by the NGOs, the academics, the different political parties as well as the public opinion will be explained. The contention will be argued that neither Podemos nor the associations and academics (with some exceptions) that defend BI have not had a realistic, pragmatic and moderate strategy to introduce the BI in the political discussion. In some cases, this has been a deliberate decision that shows lack of compromise with UBI and the objectives it has. In other cases, there has not been a realistic view about how to implement UBI in Spain in the context of the economic crisis. The discussion has been so confused that it is probable that the proposal made by Trade Unions will not obtain the number of votes required, although it is more modest and it has no relation with the UBI program. At this point, the debate in Spain seems to have stalled in these last few years meaning a lost opportunity to put into practice a well-designed basic income proposal.
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URI / Handle
http://hdl.handle.net/11531/26681Rights
Creative Commons Reconocimiento-NoComercial-SinObraDerivada España