Is Switzerland tired of prosperity? I can think of no other reason for our next foolish referendum | Joseph de Weck
Capping the population at 10 million is a far-right fantasy. It would dismantle the openness that has made the country rich ZĂźrich on a Sunday
Capping the population at 10 million is a far-right fantasy. It would dismantle the openness that has made the country rich ZĂźrich on a Sunday morning can feel like the day after Armageddon: so empty, so calm, despite being Switzerlandâs biggest city. But then the church bells erupt across the lake basin, and a jogger trots by like a polite deer in aerodynamic sunglasses, and one knows that all is fine in this proudly impeccable place, where little is left to chance and the authorities even track the cityâs pigeons with GPS.
Swiss people know they are lucky. A highly diversified economy keeps salaries high and income inequality comparatively low. A British friend once remarked that our supermarkets feel like the gourmet hall at Harrods. The state makes business easy. Hiking paths are maintained by armies of volunteers. The flip side is our reputation for being a nation of humourless control freaks, but there are benefits to trains running on time.
In a restless world, Switzerland remains a place where one can exhale. Joseph de Weck is an associate fellow with the German Council on Foreign
Relations and writes for Guardian Europe from ZĂźrich and Paris Continue reading...
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