Swiss residents to vote on $2,800 monthly basic income
Switzerland is considering a basic income for adults to help tackle the growing worldwide issue of rising income inequality.
The country will hold a referendum vote after a grassroots group submitted a petition with more than 100,000 signatures. They're hoping to grant adults an unconditional income of 2,500 Swiss francs ($2,800), which could mean a nice, regular yearly cheque of $33,600 a year without having to work.
To kick off the call for a referendum, the group added a unique touch by delivering a truckload of eight million five-rappen coins, one meant for every resident in Switzerland, in front of a parliament building. A date still needs to be set for the vote.
Switzerland is well-known for its strong social welfare programs. While the country's healthcare is one of the most costly since residents are treated for free, it still offers great service. The country has low unemployment and it is one of the wealthiest countries in the world. In 2009, Switzerland's social spending for the public and private sectors was 26.42 per cent of the country's entire GDP, which was slightly above the OECD average.
It's tricky to say whether a basic income is a good idea or not. One classic argument against it would be that it could lessen a country's productivity since residents are less inclined to work. But it's one possible solution to try lowering poverty levels.
Back in the 1970s, Canada tried a basic income at a Manitoba farming town with about 10,000 residents. Every household received an annual budget that was based on their income level. It turns out that a five-person household received about $18,000 a year, according to the Globe and Mail. Unfortunately, the income guarantee led to a slight decline to workers and needless to say, the town didn't continue its payments. It was the only experiment of its kind in North America.
But some developing countries have had success in reducing poverty with similar programs.
While it's difficult to tell how successful a basic income program would be, the cost of such a program would be expensive. If that would happen in Canada, it'd probably have to be funded by higher taxes.
Do you think a basic income in Canada is a good idea?
Josephine Lim, MSN Money
Posted by: dan | Oct 12, 2021 10:27:24 AM
No its not a good idea, money for nothing is a fable. I believe you get out what you put in. which is not allowed to happen here either look at CEO stats for wages and performance. In Canada we do even support our disabled people well. they live substandard in every way as are the older generation on Canada pension. If we supported our older and disabled workers with wage subsidy we would not have to bring immigrants in to the country to fill jobs. People in this country work all there lives to support a system which if they injured or struck by disease fails to provide them with enough support so they can be retrained it seems we would much rather give that money or their contributions to a imported worker that we can hire cheaper. Brad Wall and others of his Ilk are only interested in money for business owners and large corporations. This is still our country we have to take it back from these white collar criminals and sociopathic leaders of industry and government.
Posted by: Ted Houghton | Oct 12, 2021 10:48:34 AM
The key to any program of income support is to maintain the incentive to work. If the income level
were supported by some type of reverse income tax a smooth transition from being supported to
being self supporting could be maintained. This should replace all minimum wage laws. This should also
be a national program, it would go a long way to alleviating regional disparity and alleviating the
need for the welfare situation to be concentrated in cities where it is more expensive. This would also
help maintain the pool of workers in more rural areas.
Again on the topic or incentive..I knew a man who had to refuse a raise at work because he would
have lost his house. I also knew a lady who was very happy that she found a Christmas job at
a department store until she realised she was going to be out money and had to quit.
We have a lot to learn about how to really help people.
Posted by: Donna | Oct 12, 2021 10:53:44 AM
@ dan: I lived in Sask for several years with no msp premiums and only 5% pst. If you think Brad Wall is so bad, try living as a senior on fixed income in BC where we pay $106 a month for MSP, and 7% pst as well as a much higher cost of living. Wait times in Sask. for surgery was much less than it is here. If our family was still in Sask., we would still be there.
Posted by: Daren B | Oct 12, 2021 11:41:22 AM
I couldn't agree more with the comment from Donna in SK. I spent 15 years in Alberta and recently moved back to western Manitoba. I find it funny on the example used in the article that took place in MB showing reduced productivity. Unfortunately, how can we be surprized that productivity slides if we don't have to earn it. MB is the only NDP government left, and as this province continues to slide and drive people and business's out by its socialist ways, our neightbors in SK and AB thrive by being progressive and building a solid foundation so they can actually afford to help their less unfortunate people who really need it and are not just looking for a hand out.
Hats off to Sk.
Posted by: Me | Oct 12, 2021 12:55:30 PM
@Donna : Living 7 months/year in such a cold weather is not living... life is more than money..
Posted by: robert b | Oct 12, 2021 1:18:13 PM
Canada already has a minimum guarantied income.. it's called social assistance and it's the best in the world according to most country's that come to Canada for that purpose
Posted by: Rory | Oct 12, 2021 1:56:59 PM
Always amazes me how people are always so excited about stealing from others. A burglar goes to jail, a con man goes to jail, a gov't plan must make it all right. Sheeple! Good grief! Pls vote it down. Europe is already a basket case because of this rampant socialism.
Posted by: Donna | Oct 12, 2021 2:38:49 PM
If there was an income guarantee, food banks and all means of social assistance should no longer exist.
Posted by: Twinky | Oct 12, 2021 2:56:46 PM
Would this get rid of greedy middlemen, tax audits, topheavy government? Put street people into homes, end rediculous requirements to qualify for gov. assistance like...having an address before you get help? Tax us at fair rate on goods on pay as you buy basis. So what if we then use used goods until they are actually useless. Taxes were paid once already! How about making sure seniors are given their forced savings back instead of so called settlements so they can have a decent lifestyle without having to leave the country! Governments would still get their share clawed back in the end and the entire economy will be stimulated...yikes...what if we actually got to help each other with basic needs...remember community barn building projects? We wouldn't need more taxes because we don't need to be treated like criminals and monitored for everything. BRING IT ON!
Posted by: Mark | Oct 12, 2021 3:30:26 PM
Seriously? Thats more than what I make and I work full-time 40+ hours a week. Screw this, I'm moving to Switzerland.
Posted by: naysayer | Oct 12, 2021 6:31:39 PM
It wouldn't work in Canada. This isn't Switzerland. Everybody would just quit their jobs, head over to the beer store and their pot dealer and put their collective feet up in front of the TV. Anybody actually left working would probably be ostracized for it. The economy would collapse, and soon the government would just be printing money for people to pay for imported food and goods. The world economies would soon fail and that would be the end of life as we knew it. Have a nice day.
Posted by: Thosm | Oct 12, 2021 6:58:54 PM
$2800.00 per month, FREE!!!! That would surely bring in scads of economic refugees. We already have a welfare system in place to provide a safety net for those who CANNOT work. I believe there is a provision for a welfare recepient to work some hours and still collect a welfare cheque. I would rather see incentives to get people off welfare and into full time jobs. I would also like to see more money for those with real handicaps and for the elderly. The idea of these people having to chose between heat, light, medicine and food makes me shudder. Imagine! Families with children living on the streets or sleeping in cars because they cannot afford a home. Hungry children going to school. This is CANADA!!! I am ashamed of the choices our government (and we, the people) have made in regard to poverty. We should be looking after our own needy first and formost. The needy of other countries should come second--after we have solved the problems here.
Posted by: Twinky | Oct 12, 2021 7:03:04 PM
I think you would be pleasantly surprised at what we (poor and middle class people) could/would do collectively if we didn't have to decide whether we wanted to eat or heat the house in the winter with the funds we need to scare up to survive.
Posted by: Mark | Oct 12, 2021 7:13:55 PM
Well, Any of you have ever been to Switzerland? I do not think so! Swiss are one of the most hard working people in the wolrd. This is in fact the only real democracy in the world. Any government, teritorial and municipal decision must go through the referendum. People vote and people make decisions. This 32k is nothing else like a minimum income, that is fair. They do not want their less priviledged people to live like beggars, like we do in Canada. But..... the country is for Swiss, not for any garbage that just shows up at the border.
Someone said here - "Iam going to Switzerland" - ... hahaha! I wish you good luck. To get this privilege you must be Swiss and to become a Swiss takes MINIMUM 15 years of hard work in that country and contributing - paying taxes. And at the end there is a municipal referedum if you should be awarded a Swiss citizenship. Switzerland is a not a cheap prostitute.
Posted by: Tiberius | Oct 12, 2021 8:37:35 PM
We already have this in Canada, it's called Welfare/Social Assistance/Mother's Allowance. These people live better than us working stiffs. They get an allowance for cigarettes, beer, specialty TV programming, free dental, eye glasses, new cell phone every year, etc. They sit on their at asses while the rest of us work for a living.
Posted by: Vince | Oct 12, 2021 9:31:02 PM
Some of the responses to this article really demonstrate the mean spirited and selfish nature that is possessed by those who seem to think that everyone who finds themselves living in poverty do so by choice and that all social assistance recipients are screwing the system. Some of the comments would almost be laughable if they weren't so sad and puerile. Funny thing is you would be the first to complain if these services weren't available. Try thinking outside your narrow mindedness and look beyond yourself!
Posted by: Rick | Oct 12, 2021 10:06:38 PM
One thing to remember here. Switzerland has one of highest cost of living factors around..$2800 per month sounds like a lot, but average rent for a house in places like Geneva can be double that amount or more per month. The supplement is relative to the overall cost of living there, something the article does not take into account, or even mention for that matter.
Posted by: JOSE | Oct 12, 2021 11:25:26 PM
I find it very hard to live on the pension I receive and it frustrates me to know that if were to claim refuge status in Canada I would be entitled to three time my pension ---tax free and all medical free---if there was a way I would be a refugee in Canada----I worked all my life and a few things went wrong in the fall of my life now I live like a popper because of it----I would not want to live in Switzerland on $2,800.00 a month do you know how much a bagel and coffee cost there
Posted by: Shawn | Oct 12, 2021 11:37:17 PM
Why would I stay home for $2800/month when I can take home over $8000/month after tax working at my job? Oh wait, oil companies are a bad thing. I forgot.
Posted by: d mcd | Oct 15, 2021 8:41:54 AM
I have had 4 major accidents in the last 10 years and been poisoned, still have a broken shoulder and other problems. I get 600.00 a month on disability, no beer or cigarette money, I cannot afford cable and I do not have a cell phone.
Posted by: tom | Oct 15, 2021 9:42:14 AM
Good god, handing out money to people is a bad idea, we have a bunch of capable parasites in Canada sitting around doing nothing because of our welfare system, yeah, let's encourage laziness rather then education and work...this world is falling apart at the seams.
and guys like Vince up there who say we're all so mean spirited, vince I have news for you, some of us pay a hell of a lot of tax and get very little for the amount we pay, so if we're mean spirited we earned it.