Switzerland 'rejects basic income', poll projections suggest

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Projections from a referendum in Switzerland suggest voters have rejected a plan to introduce a guaranteed basic income for all.

Some 78% of voters opposed the plan, a GFS projection for Swiss TV suggested.

The proposal had called for adults to be paid an unconditional monthly income, whether they worked or not.

Supporters said since work was increasingly automated, fewer jobs were available for workers. Switzerland is the first country to hold such a vote.

No figure for the basic income had been set, but those behind the proposal suggested a monthly income of 2,500 Swiss francs (£1,755; $2,555) for adults and SFr625 for each child, reflecting the high cost of living in Switzerland. It is not clear how it would affect people on higher salaries.
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http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-36454060
 
I'm not really sure I support basic income. It leads to higher taxes, but I guess on the flip side not having a welfare check could lead more to crime.
 
crackersa said:
I'm not really sure I support basic income. It leads to higher taxes, but I guess on the flip side not having a welfare check could lead more to crime.
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It depends on the people/culture/mindset. While there are countries where depending on handouts is the norm, there are also countries that breed industrious nature and unemployed people would rather get up early to look for work or do their own thing than accept anything that resembles a handout, whether due to pride or the way they were raised (the culture).
 
OrbitalDawn said:
Depends how it gets implemented. Generally the idea is that it replaces other welfare programmes.
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I think it would have an inflationary effect. If the unemployed guy is being paid a certain sum, the cost of labour will likely go up. So even the McDonald's employees will get paid a lot more. Then the costs of burgers will go up. Even if you go down the supply chain with farm workers and delivery drivers, the costs will be higher.

But as you said, depends what welfare is in place already
 
Ah excellent, almost every time some crazy scheme is up for a referendum the Swiss choose the sensible path, previously avoiding the world's highest minimum wage and now basic income.

Pity they also rejected the "gold referendum" and will likely reject the, not yet scheduled, Vollgeld one ... come on Swiss, make history!
 
OrbitalDawn said:
Depends how it gets implemented. Generally the idea is that it replaces other welfare programmes.
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Welfare is usually there to help people who can't help themselves, so moving to a basic income model instead, assumes that they will be no worse off, otherwise you are punishing the poor to give to the middle class. Now logically, how can you provide the same level of help to the poor, plus give money to the rest of the population as well, without raising taxes. Of course taxes will go up, for anyone earning over a certain amount, and once again the rich and hard working will have to shell out to give to everyone else. Typical Socialist BS
 
NarrowBandFtw said:
Ah excellent, almost every time some crazy scheme is up for a referendum the Swiss choose the sensible path, previously avoiding the world's highest minimum wage and now basic income.

Pity they also rejected the "gold referendum" and will likely reject the, not yet scheduled, Vollgeld one ... come on Swiss, make history!
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Now they just need to come to their senses and build a nice big trump wall to keep the refugees out
 
Avenue said:
Welfare is usually there to help people who can't help themselves, so moving to a basic income model instead, assumes that they will be no worse off, otherwise you are punishing the poor to give to the middle class. Now logically, how can you provide the same level of help to the poor, plus give money to the rest of the population as well, without raising taxes. Of course taxes will go up, for anyone earning over a certain amount, and once again the rich and hard working will have to shell out to give to everyone else. Typical Socialist BS
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Shame, poor rich people. They just can't get a break. :rolleyes:

Besides the 'poor people are poor because they don't work hard enough' nonsense you injected there, read.
 
I would love to see some real data where something like this has been implemented somewhere. Everybody thinks that people would just sit on their bum and do nothing, but there would be lots of people that would take the opportunity to better themselves. I may speak of anecdotal conversations, but something like this would be great for people who study full time, or an entrepreneur starting their own business, or a stay at home mom that lost her husband or someone that lost their job. Its a safety net, not a way to get rich quick.
 
Nefertiti said:
I would love to see some real data where something like this has been implemented somewhere. Everybody thinks that people would just sit on their bum and do nothing, but there would be lots of people that would take the opportunity to better themselves. I may speak of anecdotal conversations, but something like this would be great for people who study full time, or an entrepreneur starting their own business, or a stay at home mom that lost her husband or someone that lost their job. Its a safety net, not a way to get rich quick.
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Look at some of the projects being mentioned, and the studies conducted:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basic_income
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/scott-santens/universal-basic-income-is_b_10251176.html
 
OrbitalDawn said:
Shame, poor rich people. They just can't get a break. :rolleyes:
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When you are happy to give a significant percentage of your earnings over to someone less fortunate than you, then we can continue this conversation. But of course the socialist mind is only happy to take, when someone else is paying.

OrbitalDawn said:
Besides the 'poor people are poor because they don't work hard enough' nonsense you injected there, read.
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I never said anything about the poor not working hard- that was you reading into things, but generally, if all things were equal, a person who works harder, longer, and smarter, and is willing to take more risks, will fair better than someone who doesn't.
 
Avenue said:
When you are happy to give a significant percentage of your earnings over to someone less fortunate than you, then we can continue this conversation. But of course the socialist mind is only happy to take, when someone else is paying.

I never said anything about the poor not working hard- that was you reading into things, but generally, if all things were equal, a person who works harder, longer, and smarter, and is willing to take more risks, will fair better than someone who doesn't.
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So you reject all socialism in principle, then?
 
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