Switzerland – from derided obsolescence to respected exception

Anyone with a high regard for Switzerland cannot have been entirely happy with the recent Switzerland bashing. On the other hand, do we as Swiss, living in Switzerland or working for a Swiss company, actually know what Switzerland is to us? Julius Baer searched for answers and came up with a collection of thoughts about Switzerland and the Swiss.

“Switzerland sits there, in the shadow of the Alps and European politics, a bastion of political, economic and regulatory stability. The secret of Switzerland’s success is that it is so complex. It is the country of unlimited separation of powers as well as a heightened sense of what the Swiss should expect from each other. To meet those expectations is a challenge. Sometimes too much of a challenge. No other country has called itself into question with such dogged passion as the Swiss Confederation. And no country has got so old doing so as Switzerland. Again and again, the drive to be self-assertive results in exceptional achievements. Precision, quality and solidity have become synonymous with the white cross on the red background.

At the same time, the country has come to terms with the poor performance of its executive leadership. It is inherently conservative, and for that reason is derided one minute and admired the next. Its fundamental strength is its perseverance; its weakness is that, repeatedly, it allows itself to be caught with its guard down. Elegance is something for others. But Switzerland has always come to the necessary arrangement. It would rather follow history than make history. It is the most successful example today of how liberalism can bring both intellectual and material blessings. The Swiss learned how to read and write not in order to revolutionise society, but to advance it. The Swiss are pragmatic and steadfast. That makes them immune to ideologies and theoretical fanaticism. The level of political debate is so high that politicians do not systematically avoid unpleasant issues.

Accordingly, the country succeeded in halting deindustrialisation, and with its open economy has faced up to globalisation. The need to be cosmopolitan turned into an export success story. The Swiss are not afraid of the Polish plumber. They do not frantically seek work in the public sector. The Swiss prefer to be self-employed and make sure that the state does not go too far. They keep tabs on the state; the state does not keep tabs on them. Which is why they believe that safeguarding privacy is so important. It is an essential part of a political culture of freedom. That way, a ‘vieille, chère et grande nation’ was created that is one of a kind. Its greatness stems from its distinctness and its deep historical roots.”

This is the summary of a publication Julius Baer came up with to answer those highly justified questions that have been asked lately: Do the Swiss still know what their country has to offer, and following on from that, what makes it worth standing up for and defending?

The publication is available in English, German, French and Italian. It can be downloaded or ordered using the link on the right-hand side.