Basic Income Explained: A New Film from Dr Malcolm Torry

HARROGATE, England, June 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- A new film explaining the principles and advantages of Basic Income is launching on YouTube from 9^th June.

Written by Dr Malcolm Torry, a visiting senior fellow at the London School of Economics, the film examines the case for introducing Basic Income to provide a secure income to every citizen. 

The film's release comes at a time when governments around the world are grappling with how to protect the incomes of households during the coronavirus outbreak. As such, the film provides insights for anyone interested in how the current economic situation is unfolding across the world.

In the film viewers will discover:

• How the simplicity of Basic Income ensures everyone of the same age receives the same amount of money, unconditionally
• How Basic Income avoids the sanctions and stigma attached to the benefits system
• What it means when Basic Income is described as 'unconditional'
• The difference between Basic Income and other economic programmes
• How Basic Income creates new opportunities for individuals, allowing them to contribute more fully to society

The film also addresses common objections to Basic Income, such as how it would be paid for and why the rich would receive the same payment as everyone else.

Commenting on the film, Dr Torry says: "This film provides an accessible introduction to Basic Income at a time when scrutiny of economic principles is greater than ever. I hope that it will stimulate further discussion around Basic Income as a desirable and feasible basis for tax and benefit systems now and in the future."

The film was made by UK film and animation company Digifish and is produced and hosted by Share Ideas.

Simon Gordon from Share Ideas says: "We were delighted to work with Dr Torry to produce this film. It perfectly reflects the ethos of the Share Ideas YouTube channel to share short films that encourage intellectual discussion."

About Dr Malcolm Torry

Dr Torry is the director of the Citizens Basic Income Trust in London and a visiting senior fellow at the London school of Economics, Department of Social Policy. He has first degrees in mathematics, theology, philosophy, and economics and management, and higher degrees in social policy and in theology.

Dr Torry's publications include:

• Money for Everyone: Why we need a Citizen's Income (Policy Press, 2013)
• 101 Reasons for a Citizen's Income (Policy Press, 2015)
• The Feasibility of Citizen's Income (Palgrave Macmillan, 2016)
• Citizen's Basic Income: A Christian social policy (Darton, Longman and Todd, 2016)
• Why we need a Citizen's Basic Income: The desirability, feasibility and implementation of an unconditional income (Policy Press, 2018)
• Managing God's Business (Ashgate, 2005)
• Bridgebuilders: Workplace chaplaincy: a history (Canterbury Press, 2010) 
• Managing Religion (two volumes, Palgrave Macmillan, 2014) 
• Mediating Institutions (Palgrave Macmillan, 2016)

Video: https://youtu.be/ttjMC7Diz9s