Tax for parasitism - the Russian alternative to AML
In many countries, experiments are now underway with the introduction of unconditional basic income (AML) - regular payments that all citizens of the country receive, regardless of their income level and status (without conditions).The concept of social dividend implies that every citizen has a share in total national production and a share of natural wealth. It is believed that such a system stimulates economic growth due to the growth of consumer demand and economic activity of the population, reduce government spending on the bureaucratic apparatus, reduce crime and poverty. The first experiments gave optimistic results, and in the near future more extensive experiments with AML are planned in Finland, Switzerland, Canada and some other countries. The national referendum on the introduction of AML in Switzerland is scheduled for June 5, 2016.
In Russia, the experiments with AML are not audible. Moreover, the Ministry of Labor of the Russian Federation is discussing the exact opposite idea - to introduce a tax on parasitism !
The Ministry of Labor cites the example of the Republic of Belarus, where the tax on parasitism was adopted in April 2015 by a decree of the President of the Republic of Belarus.
The tax is accepted despite criticism from some experts who said that according to the Constitution, labor is a right and not a “honorary duty” of a citizen, as in the USSR. Economists assumed that the cost of forced labor would many times exceed the economic effect of such actions. In addition, a significant part of vacancies is low-paid jobs in the public sector and in state-owned enterprises that receive state support. It is more economically advantageous to leave these places unoccupied, and instead of state support to distribute funds to the same unconditional basic income. But our authorities have a different logic.
“Our colleagues from Belarus may share their experience, their most serious innovations have occurred,” said Russian Deputy Labor Minister Andrei Pudov at the international conference Social Insurance. - They introduced a so-called tax on those who are of working age, but do not pay insurance premiums, are not engaged in labor activities. We are still discussing this topic, they have already made such a decision. ”
The ministry explained that there are no specific projects on the introduction of parasitism tax in Russia, but discussion is underway. The idea was first proposed in 2015, then it was abandoned , but now they have returned to consider this issue.
According to opinion polls, the idea of punishment for parasitism is supported by 45% of the Russian population.mainly pensioners and Communist Party supporters. The criminal article on parasitism operated in the Soviet Union and provided for up to a year of correctional labor or up to two years in prison.