Zurich, June 5: Swiss voters rejected by a wide margin Sunday a proposal to introduce a guaranteed basic income for everyone living in the wealthy country after an uneasy debate about the future of work at a time of increasing automation. Supporters had said introducing a monthly income of 2,500 Swiss francs ($2,563) per adult and 625 francs per child under 18 no matter how much they work would promote human dignity and public service.
Opponents, including the government, said it would cost too much and weaken the economy. Projections by the GFS polling outfit for Swiss broadcaster SRF showed nearly four out of five voters opposed the bold social experiment launched by Basel cafe owner Daniel Haeni and allies in a vote under the Swiss system of direct democracy.
Haeni acknowledged defeat but claimed a moral victory. “As a businessman I am a realist and had reckoned with 15 per cent support, now it looks like more than 20 per cent or maybe even 25 per cent. I find that fabulous and sensational,” he said.
“When I see the media interest, from abroad as well, then I say we are setting a trend.” Conservative Switzerland is the first country to hold a national referendum on an unconditional basic income, but others including Finland are examining similar plans as societies ponder a world in which robots replace humans in the workforce. Olivier, a 26-year-old carpenter who works on construction sites and runs a small business where he designs and builds furniture, said he voted “yes” to the initiative.
“For me it would be a great opportunity to put my focus on my passion and not go to work just for a living,” he said. Champions of the plan had painted just such a future in a poster bigger than a football field asking “What would you do if your income was secure?”