The idea shakes the core of social life, the principle of wage labor and meritocracy.
It might work, but it doesn't have to.
If it would be reality, no one need to worry about its existence.
This is the vision of an unconditional basic income, what man needs to live would be minimally secured.
More and more social scientists and politicians are pro "unconditional basic income".
Former Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis for example and Robert Reich, US labor minister under former President Bill Clinton. Countries such as Finland and the Netherlands want to test in limited experiments with the idea in the future.
In Switzerland, the people vote on this Sunday on a practical introduction.
By the will of the initiative by Daniel Häni a new Article 110a to be inserted in the Swiss constitution:
"The Confederation shall ensure the introduction of an unconditional basic income"
But Parliament, business and trade unions are against it.
The concept of the Swiss initiative looks like this:
All citizens would receive monthly CHF 2,500 (2250 euros ), a child 625 francs ( 562 euros ).
If an employee previously earned 6000 francs gross per month he will have that amount in the future available.
He just get the first CHF 2,500 from the state and the remaining 3,500 francs from the employer.
The payable payroll would shrink for the company though.
Other state payments such as unemployment benefits would superfluous.
The sum of CHF 2,500 would be just above the poverty line - but it would be a guaranteed income.
People are no longer dependent on their job and they could better combine family and career, volunteers and non-profit or supervise other people and cultivate.
It is not a new idea
The British author Thomas More introduced the idea of a basic income in his novel "Utopia" back in the 16th century. And at the end of the 18th century the Englishman Thomas Spence formulated an income for all as well.
What makes the idea so popular today?
Income disparities have increased dramatically in recent decades and so the gap between rich and poor.
Scientists suspect that the digitization destroyed millions of jobs as algorithms and machines replace human labor.
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development in Germany believes twelve percent of all jobs are endangered by robots.
What is the responsibility of the individual?
What has the community to make?
An unconditional basic income would the welfare state, as it exists today revolutionize.
Until now the principle in Germany means that everyone is responsible for himself and his life, the state does help only in emergency situations.
An unconditional basic income would be a sort of new social contract - of all generations and tiers.
There would be no more benefits which are funded from taxes and duties.
Therefore, the state expects nothing - but could degrade much bureaucracy.
The money would be paid regardless of whether someone is begging on the street or much deserved.
Critics call the idea of the basic income as quixotic and prosperity endangering.
It would be a free pass for the lazy and taxes would have to rise astronomically.
The political scientist Christoph Butterwegge thinks behind the principle would be a strange understanding of justice:
"So far, in all welfare states apply the principle of distributive justice, which is to get a lot who has little and little who has much." he says.
"A multi-millionaire does not need a basic income and if it withholds or taxed away to him it is not unconditional."
But the biggest argument against is funding. For a sum of 1000 euros for all citizens it would cost the state annually according Butterwegge around one trillion euros.
That was more than three times as much as the federal budget includes. The proposal to increase excise duties, Butterwegge holds not useful:
"This would mainly affect the poor, because they invest their income in everyday consumption."
Don't people do like to work anyway - or are they basically lazy?
The debate about the unconditional basic income does polarize.
The arguments already base solely on two different human images.
Some think:
"Without having to, the person does not do anything - you must therefore be careful!
The others say that: "Man is not only working the due money, but to get fulfillment and recognition. Trust him!
Would the economy collapse if people only do what they want or we all benefit?
This Sunday nobody expects a majority for the basic income, not even the organizers of the swiss voting himself.
According to polls, 71 percent of Swiss are against it.
In a poll back in 2015 people said that with the basic income they would:
