by Stanislas Jourdan | Apr 24, 2016 | News
While the Swiss campaign for basic income is approaching the finish line before the national referendum on June 5th, an encouraging poll shows a rapidly growing level of support.
The polling company Tamedia asked 20,000 people about their voting intentions on the next referendum day (which includes 3 other issues along with basic income).
The results suggest that 33% of the population would certainly vote ‘yes’ while 7% would probably vote ‘yes’. Meanwhile, 50% of those surveyed oppose the referendum, with another 7% ‘rather’ opposed. According to the swiss campaign, the level of support has almost doubled since the last poll, conducted in early 2016.
In the French speaking parts of Switzerland, the level of support even reaches 50%.
“This is a very positive result showing a rapidly growing support for the idea in Switzerland. Everything remain possible. As many people are still uninformed, this means the Yes still has some room for progress,” BIEN-Switzerland’s Anna-Béa Duparc said.
However, only a small fraction of the population (3%) is yet undecided about the topic, making the last 5 weeks of the campaign very challenging.
by Toru Yamamori | Mar 1, 2016 | Opinion
Yanis Varoufakis, the former Greece prime minister, recommends Swiss people to vote ‘yes’ for UBI at the national referendum scheduled on 5th June.
Varoufakis, who’ve recently made his support for UBI clear in the interview published for the Economist, calls ‘yes vote’ for the UBI referendum in the recent two interviews.
In the video interview with the Gottlieb Duttweiler Institute, the Greek economist argues that the future picture of technological progress would be either the Star Treck version that the progress can make us equal and free or the Matrix version that the progress enslaves us.
In another interview with Swiss newspaper “Tagesanzeiger“, the translation of which is available here, he says:
Because Switzerland is doing so well, it is ideal for experiments with the basic income. But don’t forget, in spite of the wealth, the quality of life is decreasing. What good is a well-paid job if you are scared to lose it? This constant fear paralyzes people and makes them ill. Switzerland should see the basic income as an investment in the future.
Varoufakis will be one of speakers for the UBI event on 4th May in Zurich, Switzerland.
by Craig Axford | Nov 14, 2013 | Research
Swiss basic income advocates drop tons of coins on city streets as their campaign reaches an important milestone.
[Craig Axford]
Enno Schmidt, co-founder of Generation Basic Income, joins two members of the organization to share their experiences gathering signatures for Switzerland’s basic income initiative. They also discuss their reasons for supporting this vote and how they think it may transform Swiss society. The basic income issue is now in the hands of Switzerlands’s government, and will be scheduled for a vote after it has assessed its implications.
We are not the beautiful, “Interview with the group behind the Swiss Basic Income referendum”, We are not the beautiful, IdeaBlog, October 23, 2013.
by Yannick Vanderborght | Oct 12, 2013 | Research
The initiative aims to have a minimum monthly disposal household income of CHF 2,500 (US$ 2,700) given by the government to every citizen living in Switzerland -Reuters
As reported recently on BI News, following a successful petition initiative, Switzerland will hold national referendum to vote on basic income. The referendum has received significant attention in world news media, including the following articles:
Alice Baghdjian (author) Denis Balibouse (reporter), and Gareth Jones (editor), “Swiss to vote on 2,500 franc basic income for every adult,” Reuters, October 4, 2013. Reposted by MSN: https://news.msn.com/world/swiss-to-vote-on-dollar2800-monthly-income-for-all-adults?stay=1
VIDEO: “Cash Bern: Swiss may grant unconditional income for all” Ruplty TV
VIDEO: “Switzerland: Parliament forced to debate basic income for nationals” Ruptly TV, Oct 3, 2013: Enno Schmidt, founder of Generation Basic Income Initiative, talks through the aims of the unconditional basic income initiative.
Max Rivlin-Nadler, “Swiss to Vote on Guaranteed $2800 Monthly Income for All Adults,” Gawker, October 5, 2013.
Common Dreams staff, “Swiss Showing the World How to Take on Pay Inequality” Common Dreams, Saturday, October 5, 2013. This story includes photos and embedded video.
Ivan Botoucharov, “The Abolition of Poverty in Switzerland: A Template for Europe?” One-Europe, 04 Oct 2013
Anna Edwards, “Streets of Basel paved with gold: 15 TONS of five cent coins are dumped on city’s streets as protesters demand a basic minimum income for every Swiss household,” The Mail Online, 4 October 2013. This story includes pictures of how the coins were assembled to be dropped during the demonstration in Bern.
Jameson, “Swiss to Vote on Whether to Give a $2,800 Monthly Income to Every Citizen,” ClassWarfareExists.com, 5 Oct 2013.
VIDEO: “Swiss prepare to vote on basic income,” Belfast Telegraph.
Richard Cook, “Swiss in Forefront With Basic Income Proposal,” Global Research, 6 October 2013.
AUDIO: Aaron Schachter [Interview with Karl Widerquist], “$2750 a month for every adult, guaranteed? Switzerland’s considering it,” PRI’s The World, Producer: Emily Files, October 14, 2013.
Ronald Blaschke, “Kroatien: ‘We are incredibly happy here and celebrating,’” Netzwerk Grundeinkommen, 16 October 13
VIDEO: Rubin Report, “Switzerland Might Guarantee A $2800 Monthly Income for All Adults,” The Rubin Report, Oct 14, 2013.
Adam Taylor, “Switzerland Mulls Giving Every Citizen $2,800 a Month,” Business Insider, Slate, Oct. 19 2013.
Ivan Botoucharov, “The Abolition of Poverty in Switzerland: A Template for Europe? The success of a ‘Basic Income’ campaign in Switzerland provides momentum to an equivalent EU initiative.” One: Society, Democracy, Europe, 04 Oct 2013.
Josh Eidelson, “Rather than savage cuts, Switzerland considers ‘Star Trek’ economics: Switzerland will vote on giving every adult in the country a $2,800 check every month. How would that work?” Salon.com. Friday, Oct 11, 2013.
If you know of more articles on the BI referendum in Switzerland, please leave the publication information and link in the comments section. If it’s in a language other than English, please indicate what language it’s in.
Activists pile 8 Mio five-centime pieces, one for each citizen in Switzerland, into a bank vault -EPA
by Karl Widerquist | Oct 5, 2013 | News, The Indepentarian
Following a successful campaign aiming at collecting more than 100,000 signatures, Switzerland will hold national referendum to vote on basic income.
On October 4, 2013 activists delivered more than the necessary 100,000 to call for the vote. The organizing committee for the initiative has been collecting signatures for months in preparation for this event. The proposal is for a substantial basic income of 2,500 francs ($2,756US) per month for every adult legal resident of Switzerland.
Along with the signatures, supporters held a large demonstration outside the Federal Palace in Bern. At the demonstration they dropped a dump truck load of 8 million five-rappen coins, one for each person living in Switzerland (see video below). Assuming the signatures are valid, the government is now obliged to schedule a vote in the near future.
For more on the initiative see:
Alice Baghdjian (author) Denis Balibouse (reporter), and Gareth Jones (editor), “Swiss to vote on 2,500 franc basic income for every adult,” Reuters, October 4, 2013. Reposted by MSN: https://news.msn.com/world/swiss-to-vote-on-dollar2800-monthly-income-for-all-adults?stay=1
VIDEO: “Switzerland: Parliament forced to debate basic income for nationals” Ruptly TV, Oct 3, 2013: Enno Schmidt, founder of Generation Basic Income Initiative, talks through the aims of the unconditional basic income initiative.
Max Rivlin-Nadler, “Swiss to Vote on Guaranteed $2800 Monthly Income for All Adults,” Gawker, October 5, 2013.
Common Dreams staff, “Swiss Showing the World How to Take on Pay Inequality” Common Dreams, Saturday, October 5, 2013. This story includes photos and embedded video.
Ivan Botoucharov, “The Abolition of Poverty in Switzerland: A Template for Europe?” One-Europe, 04 Oct 2013
Anna Edwards, “Streets of Basel paved with gold: 15 TONS of five cent coins are dumped on city’s streets as protesters demand a basic minimum income for every Swiss household,” The Mail Online, 4 October 2013. This story includes pictures of how the coins were assembled to be dropped during the demonstration in Bern.
If you know of other stories on this issue, please leave the full info and link in the comments section. Please note what language the story is in.
