Why The Failing US and EU Should Follow the Swiss Government Model

While much has been written about how the EU is threatened by the government debts and questionable accounting methods used by nations including Portugal, Ireland, Greece and Spain, why shouldthe concern stop here? Today’s Greece, could be tomorrow’s UK, France and even the United States. Few of the western democracies have a monopoly on corrupt politicians or out-of-control national debts.

Ultimate Citizen Control vs Political Establishment – In Switzerland, the voters ultimately rule over the politicians and political elites due to the political rights of referendum and initiative. Is the majority always right, of course not as Thomas Jefferson warned about the dangers of democracy and mob rule but at least they aren’t always wrong like politicians controlled by special interests. Switzerland has a very weak "confederation model" central government with most of the programs, regulations and taxes handled at the local level. This way programs benefit the people rather than powerful federal politicians and interests like in most other nations.

Switzerland has a neutral non-interventionist foreign policy because this is the will of the people. This is why the Swiss waited 50 years to join the United Nations even though most of the UN organization is based in Geneva.

For similar reasons, this is why the Swiss have a stable currency, why individuals can buy stock in their central bank, why they have financial privacy and a low crime rate. The Swiss people demand this from their government or else the people will act. They can nullify a law or legislation by referendum or pass legislation through the right to actually create legislation and laws by-passing parliament with the right of initiative.

Again, this is a direct contrast to the United States where everything runs downhill from the federal government to the states, local jurisdictions and ultimate the people sort of like a political sewer system. Our representative democracy does not allow direct citizen control or oversight at the federal level and this is why the will of the people is usually ignored other than with false rhetoric at election time.

The EU should act as a decentralized confederation of sovereign states similar to the Swiss Confederation as did America’s first government, the Articles of Confederation if it wants to prosper and benefit the nations of Europe. Each nation should be given the opportunity to vote on membership, to have the option of maintaining their own currency and uniqueness of their nation.

Time To Look At A Successful Political Model – Both America and the upstart European Union would do well to look at the Swiss model of limited government over state jurisdictions rather than the failed dictatorial and fascist models which are all too prevalent in history. Freedom, liberty and independence have survived to a remarkable degree in Switzerland for hundreds of years despite the hatred and fear both near and far from nations and politicians more interested in looting their citizens than in promoting liberty and limited, efficient government.

We are in the death throes of the grand experiment of top down, special-interest-controlled government and fake prosperity based on unlimited debt. The time is up for Brussels, sell-out national politicians and Washington. I hope the political elites and international financial interests who screwed the people of the world and future generations all for short-term profits and political gains should be held accountable.

How About Freedom? – Finally, it is time for the nations and peoples of the world whether occupied by corrupt political elites or foreign troops to demand what the Swiss have had for centuries. A government of their own, controlled by the citizens that works to benefit the nation instead of outside interests. I truly believe unique Switzerland has the government model which holds the key to freedom, prosperity and independence for many nations in the world today.

Now is the time to work, build and restore a limited government which promotes freedom and free-markets rather than force in governing and solving problems. George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and our founding fathers would do no less and we can do no more.

Ron Holland [send him mail], a retirement consultant, works in Zurich and is a co-editor of the Swiss Mountain Vision Newsletter