Finland is planning to provide 800 euros per month to all citizens as a new form of benefit called national basic income. The Finnish government is planning to present the plan by November 2016.

The Finnish Social Insurance Institution plans to remove all existing benefits and instead hand out money. Polls suggest that the idea is hugely supported by the public. A poll commissioned by the department showed that 69% supports the suggested basic income plan.

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Under the reported proposal, Project Director Olli Kangas says, the national basic income that all Finnish citizens would receive will be an untaxed benefits sum free of charge by the government. Initially, Finns would be paid 550 euros monthly in its starting phase, and then the project would see Finns being paid some 800 euros a month in its full form.

Similar initiatives are also being discussed in several Dutch cities and will also introduce basic income by 2016. Switzerland is also deliberating on the subject.

It is in Finland though, that there is such strong political and public support for the initiative. Prime Minister Juha Sipilä is strongly supporting the idea, "For me, a basic income means simplifying the social security system."

The reasoning behind this seemingly absurd proposal is to address unemployment by providing aid usual costs to be able to sustain a job. Finland's unemployment has jumped up to 11.8%.

In different places where universal basic income is practiced, the initiative had significantly shown a positive effect.  Such is the case of the citizens of Dauphin, Canada who received an allowance from 1974-1979 and lead to overall productivity.

 While the proposal is far from finalized, it is highly probable that the initiative or a version of the original plan of it will take effect eventually. And if all plans work out well, the success of the implementation will be very interesting to see.

TagsFinland, Free Money, National Basil Income, National Basic Income