61340 Vorabseiten_e - Unabhängige Expertenkommission Schweiz

State institutions, political culture and national identity
Swiss society is structured in a complex way. The social divides with regard to
level of education, profession, financial situation, language and creed overlap
rather than run parallel to one another, a phenomenon which sociologists refer
to as cross-cut cleavages. Switzerland, unlike other countries, has defined itself
as a «politische Willensnation» (a nation shaped by the political will of its citizens)
due to the lack of any ethnic unity. This concept is supposed to reflect the fact
that the political and territorial unity of the state cannot be determined by one
uniform criterion. Reverting to history became of central importance, particularly
to the story of the founding of the old Swiss Confederation which became
significant from the end of the 19 th century onwards. 13 This historical
dimension of cultural recollection, which was connected with the three stylised
principles of federalism, neutrality and direct democracy – the main forces
forming the state, played a particularly significant role during the Second
World War. At times, mythical figures such as Wilhelm Tell and Arnold von
Winkelried inhabited a historical image shaped by ancient ideas of «storming
castles», «liberation from foreign rule» and «battles against foreign protectorates».
At the same time, Switzerland saw itself as a kind of miniature Europe.
It was the country in which the large European rivers had their sources and it
portrayed itself as the «Gotthardstaat» (Gotthard State), a state which based its
national identity on a «mountain of connection and separation». 14
The founding of the Confederation in 1848 was an epoch-marking moment in
the history of the Confoederatio Helvetica (CH), which is the official name of
the state, in terms of its institutions and Constitution. 15 The basic structure of
the federal state formed at that time has not really changed to this day, even
though from a social perspective, the conditions for political action have
changed fundamentally, in particular through the configuration of social
interests and the media revolution. 16 Since 1848, the Confederation has
consisted of 22 cantons with a unified foreign policy, a common defence system,
a general right to vote and a bicameral system (the Nationalrat – National
Council, representing the people; and the Ständerat – Council of States, representing
the cantons). The basic civil rights which have been guaranteed since
1848 (freedom of religion, freedom of the press and freedom of association, etc.)
were extended at a later stage by new rights of direct democratic participation
(1874, referendum on laws – Gesetzesreferendum; 1891, right to put popular
initiatives to a plebiscite – Initiativrecht). Swiss Jews were only granted the same
rights as non-Jewish Swiss in 1866 and 1874 and only as a result of external
pressure. 17 The semi-direct democracy was very much influenced by a republican
tradition which associated the principle of equality with fitness for
military service, therefore defining the sovereign body as exclusively male.
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