Is Switzerland Libertarian?

[ScottySatan]

I was listening to an interview of my libertarian candidate for US senate. Someone asked the question I hear all the time about the precedence for a libertarian state. Where has thee ever been a successful one? Without hesitation he said Switzerland, citing high personal freedom, a strong military, and a non-interventionist foreign policy.

What do you think?

 

[Revoltingest]

I was listening to an interview of my libertarian candidate for US senate. Someone asked the question I hear all the time about the precedence for a libertarian state. Where has thee ever been a successful one? Without hesitation he said Switzerland, citing high personal freedom, a strong military, and a non-interventionist foreign policy.

What do you think?

Sounds libertarian leaning.
They need a slogan.....
"Switzerland....the New Hampshire of Europistan!"

 

[Augustus]

Depends on your definition.

Switzerland has high taxes and strong public services, compulsory military service, but also low levels of government regulation.

The most interesting thing about Switzerland, and the thing that should be emulated around the world is the highly decentralised system of governance.

The country is a federation of 26 Cantons that have a high level of political autonomy. Much decision making is therefore highly localised on things like tax, welfare, heath, education etc.

When people talk about big and small government they look at the wrong measurement.

Instead of big/small being applied to taxation and public service provision, they should be applied to the scale of the government.

Switzerland has small government in this sense. Local policies for local people, not a one size fits all approach.

If I was king of the world, then I'd make everyone follow this model: loosely federalised small scale governance.

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

Switzerland makes all major decisions by referendum.
From Wiki...
The politics of Switzerland take place in the framework of a multi-party federal directorial democratic republic, whereby the Federal Council of Switzerland is the collective head of government and head of state. Executive power is exercised by the government and thefederal administration and is not concentrated in any one person. Federal legislative power is vested in both the government and the two chambers of the Federal Assembly of Switzerland. The judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature.

Switzerland is the closest state in the world to a direct democracy. For any change in the constitution, a referendum is mandatory (mandatory referendum); for any change in a law, a referendum can be requested (optional referendum). Through referenda, citizens may challenge any law voted by federal parliament and through federal popular initiative introduce amendments to the federal constitution.

The same system is used for the three administrative levels of municipality, canton and country. If the community is small enough like in small villages, the parliament representing the people does not exist. Also the ordinary law does then not exist, only the constitution of the village. The term "council" is used ambiguously, sometimes it refers to legislation, i.e. parliament, sometimes to the execution, i.e. government..........

It would be a nightmare in a country the size of the USA

 

[Augustus]

It would be a nightmare in a country the size of the USA

Perhaps the opposite. America struggles with centralisation precisely because it is so diverse.

Switzerland is massively decentralised. Changes at the federal level are not common as what are federal level decisions in most countries are localised decisions in Switzerland.

It could be an advantage for America which would be broken up into maybe 250+ administrative areas with wide ranging powers on health, law, education, taxation, etc..

Most decisions made by Berkley liberals wouldn't affect Oaklahoma City conservatives and vice versa. They can all be Americans, but the issues that currently cause most controversy and antagonism would be localised and cease to be so divisive and problematic.

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

Perhaps the opposite. America struggles with centralisation precisely because it is so diverse.

Switzerland is massively decentralised. Changes at the federal level are not common as what are federal level decisions in most countries are localised decisions in Switzerland.

It could be an advantage for America which would be broken up into maybe 250+ administrative areas with wide ranging powers on health, law, education, taxation, etc..

Most decisions made by Berkley liberals wouldn't affect Oaklahoma City conservatives and vice versa. They can all be Americans, but the issues that currently cause most controversy and antagonism would be localised and cease to be so divisive and problematic.

Swiss women only got the right to vote in federal elections in 1971.
It was in 1991 that the final canton gave the right for them to vote in local elections.
Changes take forever in Switzerland.

 

[Augustus]

Swiss women only got the right to vote in federal elections in 1971.
It was in 1991 that the final canton gave the right for them to vote in local elections.
Changes take forever in Switzerland.

And it is still one of the richest countries in the world with one of the highest standards of living. Seems their governance is pretty effective despite of this.

The larger the unit, the more complex it is and the more problematic it is. Much easier to get buy in for a local social safety net than a national one too.

 

[viole]

Depends on your definition.

Switzerland has high taxes and strong public services, compulsory military service, but also low levels of government regulation.

The most interesting thing about Switzerland, and the thing that should be emulated around the world is the highly decentralised system of governance.

The country is a federation of 26 Cantons that have a high level of political autonomy. Much decision making is therefore highly localised on things like tax, welfare, heath, education etc.

When people talk about big and small government they look at the wrong measurement.

Instead of big/small being applied to taxation and public service provision, they should be applied to the scale of the government.

Switzerland has small government in this sense. Local policies for local people, not a one size fits all approach.

If I was king of the world, then I'd make everyone follow this model: loosely federalised small scale governance.

I agree, with the exception of high taxes. They also depend on the Canton and city. Where I live, they are pretty low. About one month and a half salary to cover the whole year.

And if you are not a Christian, you can officially leave the church and pay even less taxes. Which is a bonus.

Ciao

- viole

 

[Kooky]

Switzerland just passed a law banning people from wearing face coverings in public.
That's about as far from the principles of libertarianism as you can conceivably get.

 

[JIMMY12345]

I was listening to an interview of my libertarian candidate for US senate. Someone asked the question I hear all the time about the precedence for a libertarian state. Where has thee ever been a successful one? Without hesitation he said Switzerland, citing high personal freedom, a strong military, and a non-interventionist foreign policy.

What do you think?

A referendum gave women the right to vote only in 1971.Some only got to vote in 1991.Switzerland was smart in the sense it stayed neutral and prospered after world war two.A more accurate description would be conservative with no little "c". Countries have to stay competitive to compete Switzerland is no exception. Whistle-blowers on corporate malfeasance are rare.They get clobbered to heavily.That said I have often visited and love Switzerland.They make great chocolate and they filmed the Sound of Music there.Anyone who wins the lottery should consider settling.