Did you know that Switzerland may start giving $30,000 a year to all citizens?

1. 72

   yecallposted 7 years ago

   Did you know that Switzerland may start giving $30,000 a year to all citizens?

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2. 82

   jackclee lmposted 7 years ago

   I didn't know that but I predict it will fail as all liberal policies like this would fail. It defy the law of economics.
   Where are they getting the $30K per person? are they just printing money?
   
   All it would do after a short period is to drive up prices on all goods. The law of supply and demand cannot be violated, even with good intentions.

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3. 94

   Dean Traylorposted 7 years ago

   I'm a bit surprised to hear this because Switzerland tends to be conservative. Usually when in a state or nation gives its citizen money there's usually a reason for it (i.e. Alaskan citizen get oil money).
   
   I'll have to read up on this to find out what's going on.

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4. 94

   lions44posted 7 years ago

   They've been trying to get this passed for almost 3 years.  I have not seen any polls for the June referendum.  But I hear they are close. 
   
   I agree with Jack. You will create an artificial demand, temporarily raising prices on some goods. You have to create jobs. Everything is a give and take. You can't just give money away.  If you want to adjust benefits to the social safety net, that's one thing. But throwing $$ at a problem never works.

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   RTalloniposted 7 years ago

   Interesting to read about this development.  While our own welfare system's failures are an incredible example of what "free" money does to a society, a more focused example does come from Alaska. 
   
   While some there do benefit from the "gift" the truth is that for too many it is detrimental, especially in indigenous communities.  For instance, though Alaska is listed as being in the top ten states for gun violence, the truth that people who live there know is that the listing isn't as simple as those who oppose the state's gun laws would have the public believe.  They know that the ranking should be broken down to reflect the truth about the population groups and what they do with the yearly "gift" when they can afford to have more free time for drinking a lot. 
   
   Truth about the facts goes a long way in helping people connect the dots on how "free" money affects communities. For instance, there is no motivation to maintain "needed" equipment like snowmobiles.  Why not run them into the ground and dump them into the pristine rivers when they are destroyed?  Why not just buy a new one next year because the "gift" that will be coming their way allows them to be self indulgent?
   
   Peeling back the layers of the problems manifested by "free" money is important business but it takes courage and strength and determination to do it.  Most people would rather take the easy route of watching a Disney movie about Pocahontas than face reality.

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   kj forceposted 7 years ago

   aahhh..the perfect world ...where no one works...and everything is free... it's like the question that was proposed to me by one of my children years ago..." why can't you buy me a new bike ?
   answer :  "because I don't have enough money right now "..then write a check !!! You have plenty of those...duh....So where do they get the extra $ to give to their citizens ?

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