Ive Marx, professor of social policy at the University of Antwerp noted, "Much of the debate around basic income is a symbolic debate. They are in favour of having the discussion but disregard the efforts needed to make it work, such as paying for it. [Such a policy] is unworkable and merely symbolic."
It's also worth noting that Switzerland has one of the lowest unemployment rates on the planet (under 3%), the highest wealth per adult in the world and a fairly even wealth distribution, and a government that isn't in debt at all, much less trillions of dollars in debt. It is country that is half the size (15,940 square miles) of South Carolina (32,000 square miles) with a population of New Jersey. Switzerland also has a nominal GDP per capita of $79,033 (compared to $49,922 of the USA). The purchasing power parity (PPP - an estimate of all goods ans services as they would cost in the US) GDP $45,417 in Switzerland as compared to $49,922 in the US, which would indicate they make, overall, about 10% less money than people do in the US. However, they spend 38% less on healthcare, consume 43% less oil, use 35% less electricity, have 30% fewer babies, and live 2.73 years longer. Switzerland also has one of the lowest abortion rates in the world, at 6.8 per thousand women aged between 15 and 44, compared to the United Kingdom (17.5), France (15 in 2009) and the United States (16 in 2008). Teenage pregnancy is extremely rare there. Gun ownership is nearly universal yet gun violence is nearly non-existent.
Clearly, Swiss citizens are taught personal and fiscal responsibility at a young age. So while such a guaranteed income is highly unlikely to pass there, it is a place where it might work. Whereas such a notion in the US would only foster more of what we already have: personal and fiscal irresponsibility.
