瑞士將公投全民發工資 每人每月1.7萬

Switzerland, one of the world's wealthiest countries, is engaged in an intense process of soul searching - about money.

世界上最富裕的國家之一瑞士正積極地對金錢做着自我反省。

This year alone there have been two nationwide referendums on executive pay, one of which approved strict limits on bonuses and banned golden two more votes are on the way, the first on the introduction of a minimum wage, and the second, and most controversial, on a guaranteed basic income for all legal residents, whether they work or not.

瑞士僅今年就已經針對高管薪酬進行了兩次全民公投，其中一項通過；這項提案對高管的獎金做了嚴格的限定並禁止了高額退休金的發放。現在還有兩個投票也在緊鑼密鼓地進行，其中一個要求引入最低工資，另一個則最具爭議性——無論工作與否，瑞士公民享有每月基本收入（高達2500瑞士法郎，約合1.7萬人民幣）。

To hold a nationwide referendum, all citizens have to do is gather 100,000 signatures calling for a vote, and the ballot must be held - the result is binding.

要想舉行全民公投，瑞士人所要做的僅僅是蒐集到10萬個簽名。接下來投票就必須舉行，且其結果也是有法律約束力的。

For Enno Schmidt, a key supporter of universal basic income, Switzerland is the perfect place, and 2013 the perfect time, to launch a campaign to introduce it.

恩諾-施密特作爲全民基本收入提案的關鍵支持者之一，他認爲2013年在瑞士發起這樣一場投票是很合適的。

Swiss business leaders have reacted with dismay, one calling it a "happy land" proposal, the product of a younger generation that has never experienced a major economic recession or widespread unemployment.

瑞士的一些企業家們對此表示擔憂，其中一個人稱之爲“樂土式”提案，認爲這是沒有經歷過大規模經濟衰退、大範圍失業的年輕一代弄出來的產物。

Mr Schmidt denies this, saying the proposed amount for Switzerland, 2,500 Swiss francs ($2,800; ￡1,750) a month is scarcely enough to survive on.

施密特對此不以爲然，他稱提案中的每月2500瑞士法郎（約合2800美元，1750英鎊）也就夠你在瑞士生存下去而已。

Meanwhile on the left, economist and former social democrat member of parliament Rudolf Strahm backs a minimum wage but is against a universal income, believing it would undermine the famous Swiss work ethic.

此外，經濟學家及前社會民主黨議員魯道夫-史特森支持最低工資提案卻反對全面基本收入提案。他認爲這會削弱瑞士享譽全球的職業道德。

To cover the cost of such a scheme, value added tax - on what people buy rather than what they earn - could rise to 20% or even 30%.

爲了負擔提案所需支出，增值稅（從人們的消費而不是收入中扣除）可能會增長20%到30%。

Actually, the main motivation behind the campaign is not economic but cultural, a bid to make people think more carefully about the nature of life and work.

事實上，這個提案的主要動機不是經濟而是文化方面的，它其實是想讓人們更認真地思考生活和工作的本質。