8.3. State Expenses
Ideas
- The main expense of the State is the payment of the Universal Basic Income.
- It then covers access to basic services: education, health, security...
- Citizens decide on the nature and distribution of expenses.
Universal Basic Income
The Universal Basic Income must allow for subsistence, dignity, and the exercise of citizenship. It cannot be symbolic and represents a significant portion of the State's expenses, also replacing all other types of benefits or support systems.
Injecting Universal Basic Income into the economy also stabilizes the economy by ensuring a stable and predictable cash flow.
For these reasons, it is likely that at least 50% of the state's revenues will be used for the distribution of Universal Basic Income.
Education and research
The primary goal of education in Software Democracy is to train responsible and active citizens, knowledgeable about the Constitution, aware of the privilege and risks of exercising power.
The state finances education and research, including citizenship training programs. Access to education is free for everyone at all stages of life.
Programs and teaching methods are adapted to the digital world.
Public education aims for excellence in all fields and seeks to build a strong society where everyone has a chance to find their path and succeed.
Free public education is compulsory up to the age of 16, except for demonstrating compliance with a mandatory minimum program. Education can then take place at home, in local associations, or private institutes. Private schools contribute to the financing of public schooling through an additional tax.
Research is primarily conducted within the university framework. It can be co-funded by private companies, but the state remains in control of the directions taken by research programs.
Private companies are free to conduct their own research programs, as long as they respect the Constitution and the values of Software Democracy.
Health
The state covers a large part of the financing of the health system: salaries of staff, operating costs of hospitals, reimbursement of medications.
Individuals participate in each treatment and contribute to this financing.
The private sector of medicine also contributes to this financing through an additional tax.
Security
The state finances expenses related to maintaining internal (police, gendarmerie) and external (defense) order.
International institutions
The state finances international institutions at 0.5% of its revenues.
Regions and municipalities
The state finances regions and municipalities at 19.5% of its revenues.
State expenses
The state finances its own operating expenses, the remuneration of mandated representatives, and the maintenance of the technical platforms of Software Democracy.