The Metro is owned by Associated Newspapers who write the Daily Mail, and features MetroCosm, which is probably the best source of science reporting for the layman. It's pretty good, if brief.

i wonder what would happen if the police army fire service nurses decided that chf2500 per month was better than facing a druggie with a knife or whatever. (I was going to include traffic wardens but it would weaken the argument)

Nope, you lost my attention there!

I guess that a few people on good salaries would take early retirement or the like. I cannot imagine that many people would give up work unless they had other resources. These people would probably have been considering this anyway. If their heart isn't in the job and they are prepared to live on a basic salary, wouldn't you be better off with somebody else looking out for you?

This would create more employment for those who want to work and the overall impact would almost certainly be negligible.

2'500? where are my 120k?

I didn't read the whole thread, I'm of a mind that people should give of themselves in some way in order to be cared for... so in my mind (), people who wish to live off such a thing would have to put in some % of "community service" in a month... so they pretty much "may as well" work in a real job.


Meanwhile, the realization hits that IF I were able to receive such a benefit AND my husband were to decide that he didn't wish to work and also would receive - we'd actually be financially better off than we are now.

Alas, I do have some modicum of "ambition" so that wouldn't work for long.

well, i would quite like to take 2500chf per month. after rent, this leaves around 210chfs per week spending money. not a bad deal.

What if I am able to have a job and do nothing at the same time. Can I still collect the 2500 CHF?

An awful lot of people force themselves through dreadful working conditions to pay the bills. What an indication of society that we never question why.

The division of labour and patchy political representation come with some costs. "A working class hero has nothing to fear" so the bard sang, but I see a lot of fear on the workers faces at the station each morning.

Therein lies the answer

When it's through labour which helps line the pockets for people in whom you have no faith nor confidence; it snatches the soul away. Many have no choice in the matter; the gubberment wants it's pound of flesh, too.

Shh! The boss is coming! Look busy...

Yeah, I know why. Three of these last 19 years:

Lots of bollocks being talked in this thread but the op reference to the state pension is interesting to me as one looking retirement in the not too distant eye.

With a 2500 guaranteed income I'd need to survive 22 years after retirement to break even (taking employers and employees contribs together). Early indications are that I'll probably snuff it next week or sooner . Damn.

Can I get the cash now?

I agree, it is a very good idea, to give money to people who choose not to work.

The only stipulation it should contain is that they then no longer pay rent .... they then move into simple rooms in a community centre, where they eat in a communal diningroom, and shower in communal showers.

They can all then contribute to their own lifestyle by taking turns at cooking, cleaning, growing of fruits and vegetables .... like a large Kibutz ... a self contained commune.

Those extra to the daily duties of the place could then contribute to the neighboring areas by doing minimal duties at keeping the streets and pavements clean, and other civic areas, like parks and gardens, public toilets, and government buildings, and by so doing retain their self-esteem by contribution to the society that is keeping them alive, warm, and fed. Maybe a set number of minimum daily hours could be set for this contribution?

Their free time can then be spent in their own persuits of music/singing/painting/navel gazing/whatever.

For those who truly desire to work at something, and earn some extra money ..... maybe they could be employed in the administration of these communes...? .... like keeping tabs on contributions towards the running costs of heating, water, electricity, etc etc and the marketing of excess produce that generates a cash flow to maintain the building?

I think I`d enjoy a lifestyle like this! No stress.

Thank you for submitting the link from 20 min BasP72. From my reading of the article, the idea of offering 2.5k a month to "everyone" in Switzerland is more a social experiment that is being academically explored and discussed rather than a sincere policy proposal that has a realistic chance of being implemented on the federal level.

I can see arguments for and against:

From the governments perspective if you are paying 2.5k to every person regardless, you will cut costs associated with the monitoring of citizens drawing social benefits. Currently, there is a governmental appartus in place to make sure that recipients are compliant with provisions to qualify for Swiss welfare benefits. The costs associated with the monitoring of Swiss welfare recipients could be cut.

Another strong argument I derived from the article is that by paying people 2.5k you are removing the negative forces on society to work. ( you have to work in order to pay the bills). Rather by offering people the opportunity to attain a certain quality of life regardless of their decision to work or not work, people will work in order to improve their lives and work will take on positive connotation. The way it would work is that if you are making 8k a month, for tax purposes you are only making 5.5k a month, since the first 2.5k is gifted to you either way, thus the extra 5.5k would act as an incentive. Therefore, people will choose jobs that suit their ambition rather than taking jobs they are forced to take in order to make ends meet. ( I don't know what kind society that would produce, I mean noone wants to work as a street cleaner, or garbage man/woman, but people have to work these jobs in order to create a productive society). The article also goes on the presumption that people's will to work sustained by making social connections, through self-fulfillment and happiness, independent of remuneration. I can agree with that statement to some extent.

One reason why such a proposal has a very low chance of being taken seriously is that such a proposal would make Switzerland even more of a magnet for refugees and foreigners. The SVP would therefore bitterly oppose such a law if it even ever were to be brought up in the legislature. Another interesting point to bring up in conjunction with the proposal is that the supporters of such a law would finance this social experient through a flat tax. If you take the two ideas together (2.5k per month, and a flat tax) it does look like an idea that could gain support by both socialist (SP) and liberal (FDP) political circles.