It's almost-Christmas in Finland

[luvdovz]

The news that Finland will be granting 800 euro to everyone every month has circled around the world media. It smacked of social revolution, at least at a first reading. Once the dust had settled, what shaped out was something like the end of that old Swedish movie, which turned out to be a Soviet movie. In fact, Santa's homeland is not preparing

Comments

[nairiporter]

Curious experiment. Let's see if it won't cause the opposite effect, namely, people stopping working altogether. Will be following this with interest.

[dreamville_bg]

The way I'm reading this, the measure is exactly meant to incentivize the more active segments of the working force.

[nairiporter]

That is the stated goal, yes.

[mahnmut]

There'll always be welfare, only, this program seems to assume that welfare funds would be distributed evenly. I think I can see where the idea is coming from that such a system would stimulate employment, because no matter what salary you get, it'd come as a bonus on top of what the government is already granting, possibly removing the temptation to put your job in a position where it would have to "compete" with social aid.

In any case, given the age demographics of the Old Continent (very apt nickname in this case), the current welfare system is unsustainable, not only in the long term, but even in the short term.