Switzerland Case

History

Switzerland is a home 8,000,000 people currently. In the 1291 in middle of Dark Ages and just before 100 years of war that was playing out in rest of Europe the valley from unity of the central alps made an alliance not to fight against each other. Their motto was one for all and all for one. The neighboring countries in Europe welcomed this new buffer zone because it facilitated management of trade and tourism. The expansion increased the power and wealth of the people in the country. In 1339 Swiss blamed the Jews for starting the worst human history of killing half the population by accusing them of poisoning water wells. A program started where the Jews were burned alive at the stake and their wealth was expropriated. This spread all over Europe like a wild fire.

One of the main reasons for Switzerland to be such a peaceful country is that political parties represent all the interest groups and all their voices are heard. The CVP protects the Christian's way of life, while the GPS protects the environment. And the SVP protects Switzerland's culture, sovereignty; neutrality and its unique example to the rest of the world of the only real functioning direct democracy.

Another reason is the involvement of the church. Unlike in the other countries which have in their constitutions clauses separating the church from the state, Switzerland employs the church by giving it tax money to act like a welfare agency catching any homeless who fall through the state's social welfare net.

Perhaps the main reason for Switzerland's success at keeping its peace as long as it has is its unique direct democracy. While other democratic countries are democracies only on voting day when citizens delegate their democratic rights for the next 4 or 5 years to politicians, the Swiss practice direct democracy and vote on any issues that come up with immediate plebiscites.