SWITZERLAND

Fair Laws
- Four national languages enjoy equal status
- Cantons and communes are governed independently
- Some laws imposed are distinct to themselves

Direct Democracy
- Decision-making is shared among the population
- Referendum: 50,000 signatures to reject a proposal or propose a new law
- Initiative: 100,000 signatures to demand a change to the Federal Constitution

Compromise and Accommodation

Power-sharing
- Make-up of Federal Council is based on a language/religious group’s proportion in the country
- Population shared within the Federal Assembly (National Council and Council of States)
- Minority groups are given a say in matters that concern them

Favoring the Minority Groups
- Federal government spends more money on Italian and French, than German TV programs
- French-speaking schools are subsidized
- German-speaking population agreed to have more jobs in the civil service given to the indigenous minority language groups

Mutual Respect
- Official languages given equal status
- Official documents are first drafted in German, then translated to two other official languages

External Threat

- Able-bodied men between 20 and 50 are to be on call for National Service
- All undergo a basic training program, followed by eight years of annual training
- Training continues until the age of 50 or 55
- Each man keeps his weapon at home, ready for action
- National Service is significant in uniting the different language and religious groups
- Sophisticated weaponry
- Maintenance of neutrality

Benefits of a Peaceful Existence

Manufacturing Prospers
- Highly-skilled individuals create high-quality products (e.g. Swatch watch)
- High levels of economic/manufacturing creativity
- Extensive Research and Development programs and facilities
- No strikes

Thriving Tourism
- Multi-cultural characteristics as an advantage
- Many amenities
- Geographical advantage
- Peace

Prosperity of Swiss Banks
- Economic/political stability instills confidence
- Maintenance of anonymity for bankers
- Ease of currency exchange

High incomes
- One of the highest in the world in terms of average annual income

International Respect
- Establishment of United Nations Palace of Nations (Geneva)
- Headquarters of the International Red Cross