Switzerland as a special case – Why Swiss democracy is not a model for the whole world |Switzerland is considered a model democracy because the people always have the last word. But is it really? And if it is so exemplary, can the Swiss system be exported?
by BezugssystemCH1903
16 comments
It’s based on the idea that people who think differently are not assholes, and that everybody should strive to find a common ground solution.
You can see how it’s unexportable 😂
No the Swiss system cannot be exported. Swiss democracy is decentralised. There is not a single Government/Prime Minister who once elected will push for them to have less power and distribute it across various power centers inside their country. Unless something really destabilising happens like a war.
Correction:
„Mit ihrer Forderung steht die AfD allerdings allein da.“
This is false. Die Linke wanted to introduce direct democracy since way longer.
Also the article is generally frustrating. It highlights that politicians are afraid of their voters and look down on them. The Swiss didn’t just magically happen to be politically literate. Direct democracy is something you have to practice. And we do.
The results speak for themselves. Direct democracy is the most popular and important concept for us according to polls. We also top every chart when it comes to trust and contentment.
Why do we trust our government more than others? Why are we more content with our political system? Because we can course correct them. And because our representatives are self correcting, due to the threat of the referendum.
The ones arguing against direct democracy are more concerned about their power, than about the will of the people.
Switzerland is not ideal.
But it is the best in the world.
Tell you a lot about the world, doesn’t it?
Basically, you can have your say on the method to be used to measure the curvature of a cucumber. But for very important questions, you have no weight on the balance, and the game is rigged from the start.
This country was taken over by banking, lobbying, and foreign interests a long time ago.
Initiatives are bundled together in a fashion that it is impossible to have a defined outcome according to a political ideology (meaning you can be a fervent supporter of an idea, but it is bundled with another one that is against your belief).
The only aspect that preserves the country so far is the decentralized nature of the government…
But this is eroding slowly.
Finally, temporary patches are always favored compared to deep necessary introspection/changes, and the country has become overpopulated.
The democracy system is also tied to the mentality and culture of Switzerland.
I’ve lived in other countries during my adulthood and I noticed that although our system works fine in Switzerland, it would create issues in other countries.
Politics is part of daily life in Switzerland, politicians are not seen as semi aristocrats that live a life separate from the population like in other countries. I’ve met high ranking politicians from Switzerland while walking around in major cities for example, without any body guards. This gives a feeling that they are just like us.
Now in other countries I’ve lived in, if you would ask who is the representative of your town or region in the parliament, they wouldn’t even know who that person is.
Most people are completely disconnected from politics and only seem to take a bit of interest when there are major elections or things go very wrong with their life situation.
In Switzerland, I feel like the population is more in tune with the political aspect of the country and I truly feel like my vote has a meaning. When I go to the Gemeindeversammlung I also feel like I truly belong to the community.
I also think that our voting system allows you to vote on good ideas and not purely on the typical “right wing / left wing” thing. I’ve voted for SVP stuff because I thought it was a good idea, despite being left wing.
In other countries I’ve lived, I noticed that people will just discard anything for the other side of the political spectrum purely because of bias or attachment to a certain political party. There’s a huge “football club” mentality when they look at political parties.
For example, in other European countries I’ve lived in, it was common for the next political party that rules the country to just dismantle everything the previous government did, even if worked well and improved the life of the citizens. In the end they don’t care if something improves the country, they only care if it was done by their party.
I’ve lived in France, Spain and Germany, and I think that in those countries our system wouldn’t work for this reason.
The issue is that every country is different. Switzerland is highly educated, media can be seen mostly as neutral,or at least if there is a bias, they will also show the other part of opinion. Same in politics, it’s based much more on consensus than on oposition/polarization.
Apply that to a population who is literate, knows what’s going on, can take decisions based on the information they receive.
Apply that to a country where media are propagandisdic, people didn’t have the education to think critically, are not experts or can’t been experts because there is a lack of information…what s the point to let them make decisions instead of voting for politicians which might carry their values and beliefs and will make decisions on their behalf when it’s more detailled,more related to legislation etc.
I think that with the current trend for populism in the west, there’s a confusion between democracy and direct expression of the people with referendum.
We would have the technology to ask the people to vote on each decision with their phone for instance, that would be direct expression of the people but populism rather than democracy.
Switzerland has popular votes but ratified by the parliaments, experts that decide for the ultimate benefit of the country.
It can’t be exported because Swiss Democracy is tighten to swiss culture that is forged by the circumstances of it’s history and context. Therefore, it’s unique.
Nevertheless, it can be inspirational to other societies.
People have trusted center politicians to deliver based on their expertise. They have delivered staggering inequality and threw the solutions to it into a volcano. People have lost trust in them. The idea that citizens would make stupid decisions and let the politicians handle thibgs is addressing a world that is no longer there.
I like that the swiss system naturally protects againt personality cults whether trump vonderlayen putin zelenski erdogan… it feels more clean that the whole country isnt reduced in the media amd world’s conscience to whoever is ruling at the moment
There’s a very simple test to see if a neighbouring country is ready to move towards Swiss direct democracy: a referendum on increasing taxation (for everyone, not just the rich, calm down, JuSo).
If said referendum gets a majority, then it’s OK to have the discussion. As long as it doesn’t, the system isn’t ready.
Nope it’s a smoke mirrors thing. Yeah the people might be asked but a simple yes or no leaves a lot of room for interpretation on the side of the actual policy makers cough Bundesrat cough, which we can currently assume to be chilling in their new BMW I7 with their fingers far up their butts. See the trade negotiations with the US, the heinous changes they want to do to the Fernmeldeverordnung, mind you without a vote of the people. So is it exportable, I don’t think so since larger populations would struggle with the frequent votes, India takes months for their elections. On the other hand it’s a stable system a the figment of Mitspracherecht keeps the masses from beheading their, currently incompetent and malevolent, leaders.
The evolution of governance has always been intertwined with technological and societal advancements. Historically, human societies were organized into small clans and tribal systems. As technology advanced, it became possible to govern larger territories and populations, often through centralized systems like feudalism, monarchy, or theocracy. Although these systems frequently oppressed common people—through organized slavery, mechanized warfare, and other hardships—living conditions still improved significantly compared to the preceding tens of thousands of years. The advent of the printing press revolutionized communication, enabling the rise of representative democracies, which further enhanced the quality of life for many. Today, the rapid evolution of media and communication technologies calls for the next logical step in governance: a representative democracy integrated with a referendum system.
Modern media platforms—such as streaming services, Reddit, and social media—have empowered millions to engage in political discourse, from local issues to global geopolitics. These platforms foster vibrant discussions, yet in all democratic systems outside Switzerland, citizens’ influence is often limited to voting for a color every four years. In an era when media production was costly and information flowed unidirectionally, representative democracy was well-suited. However, today’s interactive and accessible media landscape has shifted expectations. People crave greater agency—not to decide every detail, but to have a direct say in key issues.
Switzerland serves as a compelling model for this hybrid system. For over a century, the Swiss had referendums and initiatives, though they effect on politics was almost non existent. Early referendum materials, such as voting booklets, were more instructional than informative, often lacking neutral presentation of issues. When direct democratic elements were introduced, the Free Democratic Party (FDP) dominated the Federal Council, controlling all seven seats and much of the economy, including private media. At the time, conceding to referendums was a strategic compromise to appease left-wing parties, as the FDP believed their control was secure.
This dynamic shifted dramatically in the early 1990s with landmark referendums, such as the rejection of the European Economic Area (EEA) and the Alps Initiative. These votes stunned the political establishment, with leaders describing the public’s defiance as a traumatic upheaval, akin to veterans recounting war experiences. The shock of these events instilled a lasting sense of accountability. The ever-present possibility of referendums has since compelled Swiss politicians to perform more effectively. While decision-making in Switzerland may appear slow, its national and local parliaments achieve in weeks what others take decades. For example, Switzerland undertook a complete revision of its Federal Constitution in the 1990s—a feat unmatched by other major nations. This overhaul was driven by necessity; the establishment, shaken by the public’s ability to override their decisions, recognized the need for efficiency and responsiveness to maintain their authority.
Contrast this with systems lacking such mechanisms. Without external pressure, governments often stagnate, insulated from the need to innovate or perform. In some nations, like the United States, pressure on the powerful may manifest through extreme measures, such as shooting CEOs and Politicians, but these often backfire, harming the common good more than advancing it. Switzerland’s referendum system, however, demonstrates a more effective approach: the credible threat of direct democracy. By empowering citizens to challenge decisions, it compels the wealthy and powerful to govern with greater accountability and efficiency, benefiting society as a whole.
The survival of democracy hinges on a radical overhaul: countries must inject direct democratic mechanisms, like referendums, into their systems or face certain collapse. This isn’t a suggestion—it’s a non-negotiable ultimatum. Switzerland’s model proves that blending representative and direct democracy turbocharges efficiency, locks in accountability, and hands real power to citizens without tipping governance into chaos. With media and communication tech racing forward, nations that fail to adopt this hybrid approach will be left behind, doomed to implode under the weight of outdated systems. Embrace this evolution or watch democracy burn.
I tell you what, in the majority of European countries this system would no longer work because the core population is slowly drifting into a minority in each and every country so if you let the people have the final decision it will be against in-country culture and values.
Austrian here. Europe is fuckinf lost and Switzerland should build high walls around its borders
Damn, exporting our system? The last time i checked reddit people were hating that Russians are allowed to talk in Switzerland xd
Get a hold of yourselves, jeeesus.
Comments are closed.