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a) France does just that.

Since 1988.

It was called for years RMI for "Revenu Minimum d'Insertion" which translates to something like minimum revenue for social integration.

Our previous government changed the name to RSA or "Revenu de Solidarité Active", which translates to revenue of active solidarity. They reduced the revenue by a few percent at that occasion.

The RSA provides now enough to live (about 500€ for a single person per month) if not in a major city center. It becomes about 1200€ month for a family with two children. Again, just the minimum to live.

Also take in account that education and health are free* in France.

(*) YMMV, not all MDs, but most schools, etc.



Except RSA is not available to everyone (many people are not eligible), not guaranteed (it's tied to searching for a job, for instance), and not an actual income that provides you the bare minimum (in some places it doesn't even get you housing).


Does this apply to immigrants ? If so why are there such large tensions around the issues of immigrant unemployment ?


Yes, under conditions. Mainly: stable residency, plus legal immigration papers.

Legal immigration is pretty low in France (compared to other European countries for instance), but what you mention IS a source of tensions, and the bread of extreme right parties.




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