Swiss voters on Sunday rejected a proposal that would provide guaranteed basic income to all citizens of the country, following a debate on increasing automation – the replacement of humans by robots in the workforce. Supporters of the proposal claimed it would promote human dignity and public service if a monthly income of 2,500 Swiss francs (approximately Rs 17.1 lakh) per adult and 625 francs (approximately Rs 43,000) per child under 18 were given, regardless of how much they work. However, opponents, including the government, argued saying it was too high a cost to bear and would weaken the economy, Reuters reported.
A café owner from Basel city, Daniel Haeni, and allies introduced the proposal under the Swiss system of direct democracy, which provides citizens with the power to decide on policies to initiate directly. Supporters had campaigned on Zurich’s high street by dressing up as robots and handing out 10-franc notes. One said, “I’m not surprised the proposal got rejected; the world is not ready for it yet.” Provisional final results showed that 76.9% of people voted against the experiment.
According to government estimates, the proposal would have cost 208 billion Swiss francs (approximately Rs 14.23 lakh crore) a year. In addition to weakening the economy, it would discourage low-income earners from working, opponents said. A social safety net already supports those who have an inadequate income.
In Switzerland, unemployment rate in only around 3.5%, and fewer than 7% of the people lived in poverty in 2014, official data said. The vote makes it the first country to hold a national referendum on providing unconditional basic income. Other nations such as Finland and Canada are looking into similar proposals.
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