Switzerland, one of the world's wealthiest countries, is engaged in an intense process of soul searching - about money.
世界上最富裕的国家之一瑞士正积极地对金钱做着自我反省。
This year alone there have been two nationwide referendums on executive pay, one of which approved strict limits on bonuses and banned golden handshakes.Now 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.
瑞士仅今年就已经针对高管薪酬进行了两次全民公投，其中一项通过；这项提案对高管的奖金做了严格的限定并禁止了高额退休金的发放。现在还有两个投票也在紧锣密鼓地进行，其中一个要求引入最低工资，另一个则最具争议性——无论工作与否，瑞士公民享有每月基本收入（高达2500瑞士法郎，约合1.7万人民币）。
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.
要想举行全民公投，瑞士人所要做的仅仅是搜集到10万个签名。接下来投票就必须举行，且其结果也是有法律约束力的。
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.
恩诺-施密特作为全民基本收入提案的关键支持者之一，他认为2013年在瑞士发起这样一场投票是很合适的。
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.
瑞士的一些企业家们对此表示担忧，其中一个人称之为“乐土式”提案，认为这是没有经历过大规模经济衰退、大范围失业的年轻一代弄出来的产物。
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.
施密特对此不以为然，他称提案中的每月2500瑞士法郎（约合2800美元，1750英镑）也就够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，经济学家及前社会民主党议员鲁道夫-史特森支持最低工资提案却反对全面基本收入提案。他认为这会削弱瑞士享誉全球的职业道德。
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%.
为了负担提案所需支出，增值税（从人们的消费而不是收入中扣除）可能会增长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.
事实上，这个提案的主要动机不是经济而是文化方面的，它其实是想让人们更认真地思考生活和工作的本质。
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