Swiss to vote on 2,500 franc basic income for every adult

[adipocere]

Not sure what to make of this, but thought I would share:


Swiss to vote on 2,500 franc basic income for every adult (http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/10/04/us-swiss-pay-idUSBRE9930O620131004)

(Reuters) - Switzerland will hold a vote on whether to introduce a basic income for all adults, in a further sign of growing public activism over pay inequality since the financial crisis.
A grassroots committee is calling for all adults in Switzerland to receive an unconditional income of 2,500 Swiss francs ($2,800) per month from the state, with the aim of providing a financial safety net for the population.
Organizers submitted more than the 100,000 signatures needed to call a referendum on Friday and tipped a truckload of 8 million five-rappen coins outside the parliament building in Berne, one for each person living in Switzerland.
Under Swiss law, citizens can organize popular initiatives that allow the channeling of public anger into direct political action. The country usually holds several referenda a year.
In March, Swiss voters backed some of the world's strictest controls on executive pay, forcing public companies to give shareholders a binding vote on compensation.
A separate proposal to limit monthly executive pay to no more than what the company's lowest-paid staff earn in a year, the so-called 1:12 initiative, faces a popular vote on November 24.
The initiative's organizing committee said the basic income could partly be financed through money from social insurance systems in Switzerland.
The timing of the vote has yet to be announced, pending official guidance from the government.
http://www.revleft.com/vb/{"default":"http://newsbcpcol.stb.s-msn.com/amnews/i/83/1f4376f48c313fc9989f98363af7d0/_h353_w628_m6_otrue_lfalse.jpg"} http://newsbcpcol.stb.s-msn.com/amnews/i/83/1f4376f48c313fc9989f98363af7d0/_h353_w628_m6_otrue_lfalse.jpg
Reuters: Denis Balibouse
A truck dumps five cent coins in the centre of the Federal Square during a an event organised by the Committee for the initiative "CHF 2,500 monthly for everyone" in Bern October 4, 2013.
http://www.revleft.com/vb/{"default":"http://newsbcpcol.stb.s-msn.com/amnews/i/83/1f4376f48c313fc9989f98363af7d0/_h353_w628_m6_otrue_lfalse.jpg"}

blah the title is wrong. should say 2,500 franc

[the debater]

Damn you for getting the number wrong! :lol: Lazy motherfucker.

[Popular Front of Judea]

I see thanks to the direct voting set up of the Swiss a good chance that a basic income scheme can finally become law. Basic income makes sense to everyone -- except for the bureaucracy that administers our present welfare system.

[Aleister Granger]

1- the USican lolbertarians are going to go nuts, saying that Switzerland has "become exactly like Stalinist Russia; just wait until they name the kulaks and open their gulags!! What's next? People fucking trees? It's all coming to atheist-Muslim-communist Switzerland!":laugh:
2- It's rather nice to see someone may try this rather than write it off as 'Marxist-Maoist nonsense' offhat
3- the plebs are going to be satisfied with the current system for a good, 'nother 342 years save the transhumanists' singularity abounds

[Popular Front of Judea]

1- the USican lolbertarians are going to go nuts, saying that Switzerland has "become exactly like Stalinist Russia; just wait until they name the kulaks and open their gulags!! What's next? People fucking trees? It's all coming to atheist-Muslim-communist Switzerland!":laugh:

It is possible, just look at the current shutdown caused by an opportunistic opposition to a health insurance scheme that originated in the Heritage Foundation. Just because some type of basic income has been proposed by both Milton Friedman and Charles Murray won't stop the nihilistic wackjobs infesting today's Republican party.

[ckaihatsu]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqKkERp-ias

[The Garbage Disposal Unit]

CAPITAL FLIGHT!
COLLAPSE!
CHAOS!

Actually, it will be v. interesting to see what the response of Swiss (and foreign capital in Switzerland!) will be if this passes. I expect this to bring some serious contradictions to a head. 'Cos, y'know, not to imagine my favourite 90s punk album has the world's best analysis, but:

Yeah, you can vote however the fuck you want, but power still calls all the shots. And believe it or not, even if (real) democracy broke loose, power could/would just "make the economy scream" until we vote responsibly.

[Sperm-Doll Setsuna]

1- the USican lolbertarians are going to go nuts, saying that Switzerland has "become exactly like Stalinist Russia; just wait until they name the kulaks and open their gulags!! What's next? People fucking trees? It's all coming to atheist-Muslim-communist Switzerland!":laugh:


Would they? Was it not Friedman or Hayek who was a fan of basic income as compared to targeted welfare, simply because it does not take into account need or situation?

[Popular Front of Judea]

Would they? Was it not Friedman or Hayek who was a fan of basic income as compared to targeted welfare, simply because it does not take into account need or situation?

It was Friedman that was a fan of a basic income scheme. Hayek supported public health insurance.

One of the reasons that individuals like Friedman support a basic income is that it costs less for the same results. The reason is that a basic income scheme requires far less bureaucracy to administer. I like it because it is far less intrusive.

You know who has been the most consistent opponent to a basic income scheme? The Democratic party. Think about who loses under such a scheme. Who do they vote for?

So who do socialist support: those who need income support -- or the bureaucracy?

[Queen Mab]

Great news. Been a fan of unconditional basic income for a while. All socialists should support the decoupling of work and subsistence.