Swiss Confederation

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Swiss Confederation
Confédération suisse (French)
Confederazione Svizzera (Italian)
Confederaziun svizra (Romansh)
Confoederatio helvetica (Latin)
Flag of Swiss Confederation
Flag
Coat of arms of Swiss Confederation
Coat of arms
Location of Swiss Confederation
CapitalNone (de jure)
Bern (de facto)
Largest cityZürich
Official languagesGerman, French, Italian, and Romansh.
Dominant mode of productionCapitalism
Area
• Total
41,285 km²
Population
• 2021 estimate
8,703,405


The Swiss Confederation, also known as Switzerland, is a small country located in the heart of Europe. It is known for its neutrality, banking system, and picturesque landscapes.

History

World War II

During World War II, Switzerland had a complex relationship with the Nazi regime. While officially neutral, Switzerland had economic and political ties with Nazi Germany. The Swiss government maintained a policy of strict neutrality during the war, but it also profited from trade with the Axis powers and had a history of accepting stolen Jewish assets.[1]

Switzerland's collaboration with the Nazi regime can be understood in the context of capitalist exploitation. The Swiss government and banks were willing to profit from trade with the Axis powers and accept stolen Jewish assets, in order to preserve their own economic interests.[2]

Additionally, the Swiss government's policies towards Jewish refugees were often discriminatory, with strict quotas and regulations that made it difficult for Jewish refugees to enter Switzerland.[3]

The Swiss government's policy of neutrality during the war can also be seen as a way to protect its own economic interests, rather than a political stance against the atrocities committed by the Nazi regime, which is an example of capitalist system's tendency to prioritize profit over moral considerations.[4]

Politics

Economics

Climate

Glaciers

Switzerland's glaciers have lost 10% of their total volume in 2022 and 2023 due to little precipitation during the winter and high temperatures in the summer, the second-worst decrease since records began.[5]

References

  1. Halbrook, S.P. (1998). Target Switzerland: Swiss Armed Neutrality in World War II. Rockville: Sarpedon Publishers.
  2. Harvey, D. (2005). A Brief History of Neoliberalism. New York: Oxford University Press.
  3. Blacklisted: The Secret War between Big Business and Union Activists" by Ross Fitzgerald (2020)
  4. Piketty, T. (2014). Capital in the Twenty-First Century. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.
  5. "Two catastrophic years obliterate 10% of Swiss glacier volume" (2023-09-28). Swiss Academy of Sciences. Archived from the original on 2023-09-29. Retrieved 2023-10-27.