Welfare & Wealth Redistribution
Table of Contents
Introduction
Welfare and Wealth Redistribution
Take From the Rich
Rerouting CorporateSubsidies
Subsidies are a form of corporate welfare that is often advertised to the public as "supporting family farms" but when the money is followed, we find the majority instead ends up going mostly to major corporations and their CEOs, missing the worker that these corporations profit off.
By rerouting much of this money instead to sustainable practices and sectors, we could undo much of the current damage to our planet, while ensuring fair pay to those who are currently being forgotten by our financial systems.
Click the Subsidies button to learn how tax payer money supports the most destructive industries on our planet including
Harmful Agriculture Practices
We consume too much meat because of artificially lower prices
Sugar over consumption and destroyed river systems from fertilizer overload
Tobacco encourages harmful chemical use and kills people who use it or who live around smokers.
Overfishing
Fossil Fuels
Aviation
Taxing Polluters
Taxing industries that produce the most pollution, use the most resources, and do the most destruction can help curb the behaviors of these antagonists.
By rerouting existing money to green efforts we can curb their dangerous activities, while providing sustainable funding for ecological repair and social justice.
Click the Tax button to learn more about topics including
Carbon taxes
Cigarette Taxes
Sugar taxes
Meat taxes
Types of Welfare
Negative Income Tax (NIT)
"In economics, a negative income tax (NIT) is a system which reverses the direction in which tax is paid for incomes below a certain level; in other words, earners above that level pay money to the state while earners below it receive money, as shown by the blue arrows in the diagram. NIT was proposed by Juliet Rhys-Williams while working on the Beveridge Report in the early 1940s and popularized by Milton Friedman in the 1960s as a system in which the state makes payments to the poor when their income falls below a threshold, while taxing them on income above that threshold. Together with Friedman, supporters of NIT also included James Tobin, Joseph A. Pechman, and Peter M. Mieszkowski, and even then-President Richard Nixon, who suggested implementation of modified NIT in his Family Assistance Plan. After the increase in popularity of NIT, an experiment sponsored by the US government was conducted between 1968 and 1982 on effects of NIT on labour supply, income, and substitution effects.[1]" - Wikipedia: Negative Income Tax
Universal Basic Income (UBI)
"Universal basic income (UBI)[note 1] is a social welfare proposal in which all citizens of a given population regularly receive a minimum income in the form of an unconditional transfer payment, i.e., without a means test or need to work.[2][3][4]" - Wikipedia: Universal Basic Income
Guaranteed Minimum Income
"In contrast a guaranteed minimum income is paid only to those who do not already receive an income that is enough to live on. A UBI would be received independently of any other income." - Wikipedia: Universal Basic Income
Full Basic Income
"If the level is sufficient to meet a person's basic needs (i.e., at or above the poverty line), it is sometimes called a full basic income; if it is less than that amount, it may be called a partial basic income.[5]" - Wikipedia: Universal Basic Income
Arguments For & Against UBI
"Critics claim that a basic income at an appropriate level for all citizens is not financially feasible, fear that the introduction of a basic income would lead to fewer people working, and/or consider it socially unjust that everyone should receive the same amount of money regardless of their individual need."
"Proponents say it is indeed financeable, arguing that such a system, instead of many individual means-tested social benefits, would eliminate much expensive social administration and bureaucratic efforts, and expect that unattractive jobs would have to be better paid and their working conditions improved because there would have to be an incentive to do them when already receiving an income, which would increase the willingness to work. Advocates also argue that a basic income is fair because it ensures that everyone has a sufficient financial basis to build on and less financial pressure, thus allowing people to find work that suits their interests and strengths.[11]" - Wikipedia: Universal Basic Income
"No country has yet introduced either, although there have been numerous pilot projects and the idea is discussed in many countries. Some have labelled UBI as utopian due to its historical origin.[6][7][8]" - Wikipedia: Universal Basic Income
Reparations & Annuities
Around the world indigenous and human right groups have been calling for colonial governments to repay the damages done over generations of conquest, forced evictions, kidnappings, and enslavement. These financial reimbursement
Australia
"Australia said ... it will offer payments of 75,000 Australian dollars ($55,000) to some members of its Indigenous population who were forcibly removed from their families as children.
More than 100,000 Indigenous children were taken from their families and communities between the early 1900s and about 1970, described by former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd as a "great stain on our nation's soul" during a formal apology to the so-called 'Stolen Generation' in 2008.
Amid mounting criticism and moves to seek compensation through the courts, Australia said eligible survivors would be entitled to a one-off payment of 75,000 Australian dollars for the harm caused by their forced removal, and a further 7,000 Australian dollars to support their healing."
...
"The reparations will cover people who are still alive and were under 18 and removed from their families while living in the Australian Capital Territory and Northern Territory. Most Australian states have their own compensation schemes." - Australia Pledges Hundreds Millions Reparations to Indigenous Stolen Generation
Canada
List of First Nations Entitled to Treaty Annuities "First Nations that are entitled to treaty annuity payments, in accordance with the provisions contained in the specific treaty (or other agreement) they have signed."
These payments are generally $4 per person per year up to $5 per year, while others are $5 per person every 2 years.
USA
Iowa
Des Moines
Native American Homeownership Initiative (NAHI) "eligible households may receive up to $15,000 for down payment and closing cost assistance."
For Education
Grants for Schools & Teachers
To learn more about funding available for schools, teachers, and educational programs, check out our Grants for Schools & Teachers page.
Universal Public Healthcare
Free Public Transit
Some countries and regions already offer this, though some only offer free rides for seniors and students.
Private vs Public
Private vehicle ownership (cars and pick up trucks for example), are not only a massive waste of resources, and source of pollution, but they're also terrible for your wallet. We're supposed to pay thousands for a the vehicle itself, then yearly maintenance, license fees, insurance, with some places charging extra to drive in certain places and of course our tax money paying for all the damage these vehicles do to our roadways and bridges.
Public transportation on the other hand may charge a fee, but it is generally more efficient (more so when there are more riders and particularly so when public transport is renewably powered), and is almost always more affordable than private vehicle ownership.
Active Transport vs Passive Transport
Active transport options including walking, bike riding, skateboarding, canoeing, or any other mode that uses your own energy to move. These have been scientifically linked to better health (mental and physical), money saving for movers/increased spending for areas with safer/slower travel routes, reduced crime, reduced pollution, reduced wear on roadways, and stronger/safer communities.
Passive transport tends to cost more than passive options, cause health problems due to increasing sedentary living habits, and creates higher maintenance fees for surrounding communities, meaning higher taxes. When a fast moving road cuts through a community, this can cause irreparable harm both by physically dividing healthy communities, and by increasing health problems from fumes, collisions, as well as noise and light pollution.
Tools & Trackers
Europe
Airlines
Bailout Tracker ✈️ "The Covid-19 crisis has led to a new source of subsidies through bailouts provided to airlines"
Organizations
International
The IMF "is a global organization that works to achieve sustainable growth and prosperity for all of its 190 member countries. It does so by supporting economic policies that promote financial stability and monetary cooperation, which are essential to increase productivity, job creation, and economic well-being. The IMF is governed by and accountable to its member countries."
Oil Change International "is a research, communication, and advocacy organization focused on exposing the true costs of fossil fuels and facilitating the coming transition towards clean energy."
Asia
The Asia Society Policy Institute "works with policymakers, scientists, economists, business leaders, and experts from other fields to enhance the regional and global fight against climate change through accelerating the transition to net zero emissions, carbon pricing, clean energy and climate diplomacy."
Europe
UK
Make My Money Matter "Our banks and pension funds financially support almost every sector. Lots of them put money into industries like fossil fuels, tobacco, and arms. We’re here to make sure they do better. After all, what’s the point in retiring in a world on fire?"
North America
Congress for the New Urbanism The organizational center for the New Urbanist movement, promoting walkable, mixed-use neighborhood development, sustainable communities and healthier living conditions.
Canada
Congress for the New Urbanism The organizational center for the New Urbanist movement, promoting walkable, mixed-use neighborhood development, sustainable communities and healthier living conditions.
USA
Agriculture Fairness Alliance ® "is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit whose mission is to strategically employ lobbyists to accelerate policy changes that make sustainable plant-based food accessible to everyone at a price they can afford, empower communities to develop local plant based agriculture systems, and give farmers tools and strategy to transition from animal ag to plant based farming."
The Bail Project "The Bail Project National Revolving Bail Fund is a critical tool to prevent incarceration and combat racial and economic disparities in the bail system."
Congress for the New Urbanism The organizational center for the New Urbanist movement, promoting walkable, mixed-use neighborhood development, sustainable communities and healthier living conditions.
Lobbyists 4 Good: Help Farmers Transition Away From Animal Agriculture "We will advocate for re-allocating subsidies to help farmers restructure from animal agriculture and toward growing plants intended for human consumption.
Farmers would be supported in transitioning to supplying the country with vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, fungi, and other plant-based crops. The objective isn't to put anyone out of business. Rather, the objective is to provide incentives and support to transition to a food supply chain that is sustainable, healthy, and humane."
Grants, Funding, & Reparations
International
Beyond Animal "Where investors and vegan businesses meet" "Using technology, for online funding, networking and business services, to accelerate the transition to an economy free of animal exploitation. Our vision: a kinder, cleaner, healthier world."
Asia
Livable Cities: Financing Partnership Facility "The urban operations of ADB benefits from the support of notable trust funds, which are collectively referred to as the Urban Financing Partnership Facility. Under this umbrella, strategic, long-term, multi-partner investments on innovative urban solutions are implemented. These investments help to achieve the vision of livable cities." These include:
Urban Climate Change Resilience Trust Fund (UCCRTF) eligible countries include Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, and Vietnam.
North America
Canada
Grants to Reimburse Treaty Negotiation Loans to Indigenous Groups Who Have Settled a Comprehensive Land Claim "The overall objective is to ensure that Indigenous groups, who have repaid their comprehensive land claim negotiation loan debt resulting from their comprehensive claims settlements, are treated fairly and compensated for this amount.
The nature of the repayment of loan debt repaid to Canada as a result of a settled comprehensive land claim does not lend itself to the development of direct targets/indicators as it is funding provided for a unique one-time transaction and gesture of reconciliation, ensuring fair treatment between groups for which loans were forgiven and those groups who have already settled their claims by reimbursing any monies already repaid to Canada and providing the means with which to further their achievements in gap-closing investment opportunities.
The expected result is that all groups who have repaid their comprehensive land claim negotiation loan debt are reimbursed according to the schedule of payments contained in the letter sent to each Indigenous group.
Performance results will be reported in Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada’s (CIRNAC) Departmental Plans and Departmental Results Report.
In the Departmental Results Framework, this authority falls under the core responsibility, Rights and Self-Determination."
Oceana
Australia
New South Wales Stolen Generations Reparations Scheme and Funeral Assistance Fund "The New South Wales Stolen Generations Reparations Scheme provides ex-gratia payments of $75,000 to living Stolen Generations survivors who were removed from their families and committed to the care of the New South Wales Aborigines Protection or Welfare Boards. This payment is made in recognition of the harm that these removals caused.
The Funeral Assistance Fund provides one-off payments of $7,000 to Stolen Generations survivors to assist with the cost of funerals."