Switzerland Essay Research Paper Switzerland is a

Switzerland Essay, Research Paper

Switzerland is a little European state known for its beautiful,

snow-capped mountains and freedom-loving people. The Alps and the Jura

Mountains cover more than half of Switzerland. However, most of the Swiss

people live on a tableland that extends across the center of the state

between the two mountain scopes. In this part are most of

Switzerland? s capital, Bern, and largest metropolis, Zurich, are besides at that place.

The Swiss have a long tradition of freedom.

About 700 old ages ago,

people in what is now cardinal Switzerland agreed to assist each other stay

free from foreign regulation. Gradually, people in nearby countries joined them

in what became to be known as the Swiss Confederation. Various Swiss

groups speak different linguistic communications. Switzerland has three functionary

linguistic communications? German, Gallic, and Italian. The Latin name for Switzerland,

Helvetia, appears on Swiss coins and postage casts.

The Swiss now show great pride in their long independency.

Switzerland has no regular ground forces, but about all the work forces receive military

developing annually. They keep their arms and uniforms at place, and can be

called up rapidly in an exigency. Local marksmanship competitions are held

often.

In the early 1500? s, Switzerland established a policy of non taking

sides in the many wars that raged in Europe. During World Wars I and

II, Switzerland remained an island of peace. Almost all the states

around it took portion in the bloody struggles. Switzerland provided safety

for 1000s who fled from the combat, or from political

persecution. The state? s neutrality policy helped the Swiss develop valuable

banking services to people of states throughout the universe, where Bankss

are less safe. The League of Nations, the major universe organisation of

the 1920? s and 1930? s, had its central offices in the Swiss City of

Geneva. Today, many international organisations, including assorted United

States bureaus, have central offices in Geneva.

Switzerland has limited natural resources, but it is a thriving

industrial state. Using imported natural stuffs, the Swiss industry

high-quality goods including electrical equipment, machine tools, and

tickers. They besides produce chemicals, drugs, cocoa, and cheese and

other dairy merchandises.

Government

The authorities of Switzerland is based on the Swiss Fundamental law of

1848, which was changed greatly in 1874. The Constitution establishes a

federal democracy in which political powers are divided between the

cardinal authorities and cantonal ( province ) authoritiess.

In some ways, the Swiss authorities is one of the most democratic in

the universe. Swiss citizens enjoy close control over their Torahs through

the rights of the referendum and the enterprise.

The referendum allows the people to demand a popular ballot on Torahs

passed by the legislative assembly. A ballot must be held if 50,000 people request

it. The people can so accept or blackball the jurisprudence.

The inaugural gives Swiss citizens the right to

bring particular

issues before the people for a ballot. Such a ballot may coerce a alteration in

authorities policy or may amend the Constitution. An inaugural requires a

request by at least 100,000 citizens. All electors must be at least 20

old ages old.

Cantonal and local authorities. Swiss electors elect executive

councils and legislative assemblies in the Guangzhous, half-cantons, and metropoliss. The

state? s six half-cantons were originally three undivided Guangzhous. They

split into separate political units with every bit much power of self-determination

as the full Guangzhous. But each half-canton sends merely one

representative to the national legislative assembly? s Council of States, alternatively of two.

In one Guangzhou and in four of the half-cantons, the people vote by a

show of custodies at alfresco meeting called a Landsgemeinde. Similar

meetings of electors are held in the little towns and small towns.

Politicss. Switzerland has a broad scope of political parties.

However, there are few differences among the big 1s. Therefore, the

parties cooperate easy. The three largest political parties have about

an equal grade of strength. They are the Christian Democratic Party,

the Radical Democratic Party, and the Social Democratic Party.

Defense. Switzerland has a reserves ( citizens? ground forces ) alternatively of

habitue armed forces. Swiss work forces are required to get down a series of

military-training periods at the age of 20. They can be called into service

until the age of 50. Men whose wellness or work makes them unable to function

in the reserves and work forces who live out of the state must pay a particular

revenue enhancement.

Peoples

Even after the Swiss began to fall in forces about 700 old ages ago to

defend themselves, people from different countries kept their ain ways of

life. They defended these ways of life in the same spirit of independency

that has made Switzerland celebrated. Therefore, the Swiss still differ

greatly among themselves in linguistic communication, imposts, and traditions. These

fluctuations are evident from part to part, and even among some little

communities.

In the yesteryear, the local nationalism of the Swiss was so strong that

most of them idea of themselves as portion of their ain local country more

than of their state. They considered the Swiss of other countries about

foreign challengers, and feuds among assorted countries lasted for 100s of

old ages. But at most when their state faced danger, the Swiss stood

together as one people. Today, local nationalism has mostly been replaced

by national nationalism.

Population. Switzerland has approximately 7 million people. About 1

million of the people are nonnative. About a 3rd of the state? s

nonnative population came from Italy. Large groups of people from

France, West Germany, and Spain besides reside in Switzerland. Switzerland has

a larger per centum of nonnative occupants than any other European

state. Foreign workers have been recruited to make full freshly created

occupations, because Switzerland? s economic system has grown quicker than its domestic

population.