Includes bibliographical references (pages 274-310) and index.
Summary:
"There is one country in the world which is everybody's dream: Switzerland. The small Alpine Republic is universally perceived as the world's highest achievement in democracy, human rights, the rule of law and economic competitiveness. The end results of such achievements, of course, are prosperity and happiness, for which Switzerland also leads in global charts. Legend has it that some inner Swiss qualities have fashioned this miracle; perhaps some deeply engrained virtue that the nation of clock makers possesses has spilled over into their splendid governance. Once achieved, the only other thing needed was protection from outside influence so that they could develop peacefully, which the Swiss then managed by means of their famous neutrality. The Swiss seem exceptional in having solved the main problem that nobody else, or only very few, have managed to solve and which is the kernel of the state building challenge of our time. That solution is impartiality of the state to private interest, with the resulting capacity of balancing between various ethnic, religious or economic groups so as to ensure ethical universalism as the norm - in other words everybody is treated equally and fairly. Building a Switzerland in Bosnia - or Iraq - has been many a reformer's dream but ultimately all have failed"-- Provided by publisher.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.