Switzerland!!!

[West 36]

Switzerland, quite possibly the most beautiful country I have ever been to, is one helluva a country! Now that I've flattered all those switizens, I actually have a point to this thread. On discussing the Greek city-states, I was told that the closest system in existence today is Switzerland, and I'm not sure how that is. Are the cities there more autonomous then other places? If someone could explain to me exactly whats going on in ol' neutral, I'd appreciate it.
And to make this thread more interesting:
Why has Switzerland become such a neutral nation?
What kind of action does its military see?
Is it true that there are defenses built into hills and mountains?
How has this place of many cultures been able to retain a national identity?
Romansh- how close is it to real Latin and how widely spread is it?
What kind of political system does it have going on?
Can anyone take refuge there?
Those questions aren't as important as the other one is, but thanks anyway!

 

[hossam]

there neutral becausethere sissis sweded = to anybody

Spoiler :

just kidding

 

[Cheezy the Wiz]

I know that Switzerland was common place for people feeling Nazi Germany to go to. Of course, the Germans set up roadblocks on their side of the border...

 

[LightFang]

Switzerland has direct democracy. That's probably what you're thinking of.

 

[Cheezy the Wiz]

The city-state thing may be referring to the fact that Switzerland started out as a Confederacy.

 

[cubsfan6506]

Switzerlands military isn't the joke that everyone makes it out to be. They have 29.9 troops for every 1000 citizens. 3rd highest in the world. They also at one time were pursuing nukes so I imagine that that hill defense thing isn't out of the questions.

 

[brainpan]

So they have something on the order of 210 million troops?! What are they waiting for? They need to blitz somebody, and soon, to pay for all those troops. Where do those poor guys sleep at night?

 

[cubsfan6506]

Every 1000 citizens.

 

[Grisu]

Switzerland, quite possibly the most beautiful country I have ever been to, is one helluva a country!

glad you liked it

Are the cities there more autonomous then other places?

not anymore, in the old confederancy most cantons or cities were mostly autonomous, Switzerland was just a loose alliance so to speak. today that's not the case anymore, though federalism is still strong, but more in the way it's in the US (with a lot of power being delegated from federal level to cantonal level)

Why has Switzerland become such a neutral nation?

what ultimatively triggered the neutrality was probably the events leading up to and the battle of Marignano in the 16th century. In that time swiss mercenaries were often being employed by both sides of any conflict, leading to swiss killing other swiss...In the Battle of Marignano itself the confederance suffered its most devastating defeat, buriing all further thoughts of expansion...interestingly unless other neutral states our neutrality is not written down in our constitution.

What kind of action does its military see?

ummmm, none? there are a few peacekeepers in Kosovo (Swisscoy) but that's about it.

Is it true that there are defenses built into hills and mountains?

If I told you I'd have to kill you Nah, it's true, many of our mountains have bunkers, supply depots and artillery stations etc. built into. this is usually called the Reduit, though most of it is pretty outdated by now, it was more of a cold war kind of thing.

How has this place of many cultures been able to retain a national identity?

Switzerland never had it's 'own' ethnic nation. we were always a mix of different people (french, italian, german..) and that difference pretty much defined the national identity. Sounds a bit paradox, but that's the way it is IMHO.
Of course, at first what held them together was threats from outside (nothing unites better than a common enemy).

Romansh- how close is it to real Latin and how widely spread is it?

not widespread at all, there are only abotu 60000 people who speak it. It sounds basically like a wierd italian dialect, except that italian speakers probably won't understand it either...apparently the sounds used are identical to those used by serbocroatic.

What kind of political system does it have going on?

it's a federal republic like the US or Germany, however as LightFang stated with direct democratic elements. Basically it gives the people the right to force a vote on any laws passed by parliament

Can anyone take refuge there?
Those questions aren't as important as the other one is, but thanks anyway!

not really, like most other nations, switzerland only accepts political or war refugees. Economic refugees won't get asylum (though they can, of course, go the 'normal' immigration route.

 

[Grisu]

Switzerlands military isn't the joke that everyone makes it out to be. They have 29.9 troops for every 1000 citizens. 3rd highest in the world. They also at one time were pursuing nukes so I imagine that that hill defense thing isn't out of the questions.

yeah, our army still is way too large for our needs, IMHO. But I wouldn't necessarily say that the swiss army isn't a joke

 

[cubsfan6506]

Had you gotten the nukes it wouldn't of been. BY the way what i'm getting from you're military is that it's just a way to employ people.

 

[brainpan]

Every 1000 citizens.

I pretty much assumed the other three 0's, just making a joke. It reminds me of certain Civ games in which I overexpanded my military to the point I went to war for no better reason than to slough off the excess troops in an economical fashion. How quickly power corrupts.

 

[Japanrocks12]

yeah, our army still is way too large for our needs, IMHO. But I wouldn't necessarily say that the swiss army isn't a joke

I would heartily agree! I cut myself on one of those knife attachments, they aren't exactly meant to cut casts if you know what I mean

 

[Arwon]

From what I've read, Romansch isn't any closer to Latin than Portuguese, Spanish, Provençal, Catalan, Galician, etc...

 

[Masquerouge]

I know that Switzerland was common place for people feeling Nazi Germany to go to. Of course, the Germans set up roadblocks on their side of the border...

Yeah, I want to feel Nazi Germany too!

what ultimatively triggered the neutrality was probably the events leading up to and the battle of Marignano in the 16th century. In that time swiss mercenaries were often being employed by both sides of any conflict, leading to swiss killing other swiss...In the Battle of Marignano itself the confederance suffered its most devastating defeat, buriing all further thoughts of expansion...interestingly unless other neutral states our neutrality is not written down in our constitution.

BY THE FRENCH! YOU GOT YOUR ASS HANDED ON A PLATE BY THE FRENCH!



Just saying.

 

[sysyphus]

switizens

Sweet!

Never been to Switzerland, but would love to visit someday. Met many Swiss in my travels, very nice people, very sensible.

Most important of all, they're getting better at hockey.

 

[Grisu]

BY THE FRENCH! YOU GOT YOUR ASS HANDED ON A PLATE BY THE FRENCH!



Just saying.

well, they were bound to lose eventually and it took you guys twice to manpower to achieve it

but in the great scheme of things, that defeat in the long run a good thing for us, since getting our asses whooped made us focus on other, more important things. Ex clade salus and all.

Most important of all, they're getting better at hockey.

but ever so slowly

 

[Mirc]

At first I read the thread title as "Swaziland!!!" !

Romansh- how close is it to real Latin and how widely spread is it?

Depends what "Latin" you are referring to. From what I know, it's about as close to popular (vulgar) Latin as Spanish, (this of course doesn't make it closer to Spanish than to other Romance languages surrounding it, it just for the sake of the comparison).

If you mean classical Latin, it's pretty far, with the 3 highly conservative Romance languages being a lot closer (Italian, Sardinian, Romanian - in this order, from least conservative to most; don't forget we are talking about the top 3 most conservative ones, so Italian is still one helluva lot more conservative than most Romance languages ).

If you mean medieval Latin, I think the situation is about the same as with vulgar Latin.

 

[bathsheba666]

Fondue. ftw!

 

[warpus]

Fondue. ftw!

Mmmm I love fondue.. Only chinese fondue though