Imagine a country where being poor is a crime. In Switzerland, one of the most prosperous countries in Europe, it is almost impossible to see a beggar or a homeless person on the street. The government controls poverty so tightly that it has almost ‘disappeared’.
According to reports, the minimum salary here is 4,000 Euro (approximately Rs 4 lakh). In case of unemployment, a person gets an allowance of 80 percent of his last salary and if someone throws a cigarette butt on the road, a challan of 300 Euros (about Rs 30,000) is immediately deducted!
People who are considered ‘poor’ in Switzerland usually own a home, get three meals a day, and have access to a doctor. Many people use smartphones, travel by public transport and sometimes even sit in a café and enjoy a Cappuccino.
This video showing this picture of Switzerland is viral.
Model country of discipline since 19th century
This system was not created overnight. Switzerland has laid a strong foundation of social security since the 19th century. If a person loses his home, the government provides him with a new residence. Under the federal housing policy, 60 percent of the population gets subsidized apartments. Health services are almost free and free career retraining is also given to the unemployed.
According to the Swiss Federal Statistical Office, the poverty rate here is only 6.6% and it is ‘relative poverty’, that is, no one sleeps hungry here.
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