Livelihood – TWC Interactive

An Alternative Way to Think About Basic Income

Joe Mancini June 1, 2017

The Ontario government is going forward with three pilot projects on Basic Income. It will study whether a basic income can support vulnerable workers by giving security and opportunity. Will it be simpler and more economically effective? The experiments will last 3 years and involve up to 4000 people. At this time, it is highly unlikely that a Basic Income scheme can be generalized to the wider population, because the costs would exponentially increase government expenditures. This article suggests a different approach to Basic Income by answering two questions.

Supporting Livelihood Through Local Exchange

Stephanie Mancini September 2, 2013

How often do we think about wider implications when we purchase a cup of coffee, groceries, clothing, a book? These transactions are increasingly electronic – separated from the provider of the good or service. How often do we know the person, company or country where goods are made?

Strategies for Sustainable Livelihood

Nathan Stretch September 1, 2013

In response to current economic development—where the labour market does not accommodate those willing and able to work with full-time permanent positions—we are engaging with people around livelihood and strategies for building a sustainable way of life that includes multiple income streams. In this way, we are expanding on a familiar conversation at The Working Centre – how to engage and maintain meaningful, community involvement – by linking the principals of producerism, living simply, building community and serving others back to income as it supports livelihood.

Pathways to a Basic Income and Shorter Work Time From Consumerism to Producerism

Joe Mancini September 1, 1997

Producerism, the small-scale local production of goods, can create jobs and thriving neighbourhoods and is environmentally friendly. We have allowed giant corporations and institutions to control production and services at a great cost to communities and the environment. A localized economy takes a commitment to diversity, mutual support, belief in the ability of people to shape their tools, and respect for disorderly order. Local production in workshops and gardens scattered throughout neighbourhoods would create a new level of work. It would revive the culture of hard work and thrift that has been lost by our dependence on big private and public bureaucracies.

Local Democracy and Right Livelihood

Joe Mancini June 1, 1997

The Working Centre was part of a group of citizens and organizations that sponsored a public event at Kitchener City Hall featuring John Sewell, the former mayor of Toronto. He is the sparkplug behind the organization Citizens for Local Democracy which is a citizens group that spontaneously grew to challenge the Torie’s monstrous amalgamation of the Toronto region into a megacity of over 2 million people.

Creative Inventiveness

Jennifer Mains June 1, 1996

When I first read the cover article “Conserving Communities” by Wendell Berry, I was provoked by the statement that promoters of a global economy believe “the industrial standards of production, efficiency, and profitability are the only standards that are necessary.” I agree with Berry that these standards are destructive and unsustainable and that they are not the “only” standards. I would like to expand upon Berry’s argument, to include the alternate standard of creative inventiveness, an old art and I believe an instinctive one which many of us are fast losing.

Workfare is Not Community

Joe Mancini June 1, 1996

Perhaps no public initiative exposes more clearly the utter lack of vision in our political and bureaucratic classes than the implementation of workfare. It is exactly the kind of program that will breed further cynicism. While politicians, bureaucrats and some social agencies debate among themselves how they will control, trap and force people into workfare projects, people are asking questions about shrinking job opportunities and social engineering: and about work that is useful and about true alternatives.

Reflections on Working Less

Kathy Mostardi October 1, 1995

Lacking energy and feeling burnt out in general, I took a leap one year ago and reduced my employment to a four day work week. Now I feel that I have gotten my life back.

A “Jobless” Revolution Whose Time Has Come – Again

Joe Mancini December 1, 1994

In theory, the household is the place where the family shares in the common project of building the family home so it can contribute to the common good of the neighbourhood. in practice the world of work has transformed the household into a house which is occupied by workers and preworkers.

Why Job Creation Is Not an Answer

Joe Mancini September 1, 1993

It is not surprising that governments are rethinking job creation. They are realizing that the cupboard is bare. This article looks at three reasons why standard job creation paradoxically results in more unemployment.

Tag: Livelihood