Direct Democracy in SwitzerlandOnly one country in the world--Switzerland--is a direct democracy, in which, to an extent, the people pass their own laws, judge the constitutionality of statutes, and even have written, in effect, their own constitution. In this propitious volume, Gregory Fossedal reports on the politics and social fabric of what James Bryce has called "the nation that has taken the democratic idea to its furthest extent." The lessons Fossedal presents, at a time of dissatisfaction with the role of money and privileged elites in many Western democracies, are at once timely and urgent. In Direct Democracy in Switzerland, Fossedal has developed a shrewd, sensitive overview of Switzerland's high notion of statecraft. He details the reasons for studying Switzerland's distinctive institutions, and explores the origins and development of the ancient Swiss democracy, which reaches back a thousand years. He shows how Switzerland handles the political questions common to all modern societies, such as education, taxes, crime, welfare, the Holocaust. He concludes with the ongoing debate over two very different visions of democracy, direct versus representative. Paolo Dardenelli in Regional and Federal Studies described the book in its cloth edition as offering "many valuable insights into Swiss political life and written in a light, refreshing journalistic style." Amity Shlaes of the Financial Times commented that "Fossedal shines a brilliant spotlight on a form of governancewith lessons for the rest of us. His review of the referendum process there is required reading for lawmakers, political consultants and voters." Gregory A. Fossedal is chairman of the Alexis de Tocqueville Institution, a research foundation based near Washington, DC. He is also president and chief investment officer of the Democratic Century Fund and its management company, the Emerging Markets Group. He is author of The Democratic Imperative. Alfred R. Berkeley III is president of the Nasdaq stock market. |
Contents
Pilgrimage | 3 |
1291 | 11 |
Willensnation | 19 |
Geodeterminism | 29 |
Constitution | 43 |
Executives Branch | 51 |
Judiciary | 69 |
Parliament | 75 |
Crime | 155 |
Welfare | 171 |
Press | 181 |
Family | 193 |
Army | 205 |
Switzerland Accused | 213 |
Diversity | 233 |
The End of History and the Next Citizen | 251 |
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Aargau Alexis de Tocqueville American army bank Bern Bundesbrief cantons Catholic century citizens confederation constitution country's course court culture debate decisions democratic direct democracy discussion economic election elites Europe European European Union executive fact factors federal council feel foreign Fossedal France French Geneva German German-speaking Habsburg highly Hitler Hittnau immigrants important income initiative and referendum institutions issues Jews Landsgemeinde language large number leaders legislative legislature less Lutz Luzern major matter military nature Nazi Neue Zürcher Zeitung newspapers official parliament percent perhaps persons politicians popular population president programs religious representative democracy result Schmid Schwyz sense social Swiss democracy Swiss federalism Swiss neutrality Swiss political Swiss system Swit Switzer Switzerland Tages Anzeiger tax rates Ticino tion town troops United Unterwalden Vaud vote voters Waldstätte welfare Western women Zürich