How the Heart of Europe Beats

What is the symbol of Switzerland? Matterhorn, Swiss Army Knife, cheese, clocks, or collective leadership, direct democracy, regional autonomy? Or permanent neutrality status, the Palais des Nations in Geneva, the World Economic Forum in Davos? It seems difficult for us to use a special symbol to define this small mountain country located in the heart of Europe. It's simple yet rich at the same time. This country has gone through vicissitudes of life, but it is essentially simple. It is simple without any decoration, but also has an indescribable eternity. In ancient times, the Celts, Romans and Germans left their own distinct marks on the land. But it was only in the struggle against external forces that the Swiss gained their own definition. Without the need to fight for freedom and resist foreign aggression, these people with vastly different languages and cultures may not be able to unite. If the Swiss did not value their independence and autonomy so much, they might eventually fall apart and submit to surrounding monarchs and princes, and they would not have a 700-year-old democratic history.

The beginning of this history is the Rutley Ranch on the shores of Lake Lucerne. In August 1291, representatives of the three cantons of Schwyz, Uri and Unterwalden signed an alliance here, vowing to unite and help each other against the Habsburg dynasty, and not to allow the rights and freedoms of the people of the three cantons to be violated by foreign governors or foreign governors. Tyrant's aggression. The independence process that followed might just be a series of boring records in history books, but it was the vivid story of William Tell that left the deepest mark on people's hearts.

Although there is no historical data to prove the existence of Tell, and his deeds can only be traced from oral traditions from generation to generation, most Swiss people believe that there was once a man who would rather be punished than surrender to a foreign governor. The farmer who bowed his head, Tell's spirit melted into the Swiss national blood. In other European countries, when medieval bards wrote epic poems praising the monarchs or knights who opened up territories, the hero in the eyes of the Swiss was an ordinary civilian who assassinated the governor of Austria. After that, he disappeared into the forest forever in obscurity. There are no emperors or generals in Swiss history, only civilians.

Switzerland today is still a country of only civilians. When people take the car to work in the morning or travel on the weekend, they are likely to encounter the "national leader" - the Federal Councilor. The Federal Council consists of seven members, whose chairman is the Swiss head of state and head of government. The seven people rotate year by year, but each chairman does not enjoy any privileges and is still only responsible for the official affairs of his own department. In public, they are not escorted by security personnel and anyone can come up and talk to them. Not many people may know who the head of state of Switzerland is in a given year, but this impersonal style of governance keeps Switzerland's political situation calm and calm.

Not only does this country have no powerful leaders, it also has no professional politicians. Members of the Bundestag are "part-time members", that is, apart from the four three-week parliamentary sessions a year, they spend most of their time doing their jobs - company managers, engineers, lawyers or teachers. Engaging in political activities can only bring little income, and the source of livelihood still depends on their own job. Although this arrangement has encountered many doubts today, the Swiss still support this system because it can bring "officials" closer to the people, and professionals from all walks of life can discuss national affairs, which is also more conducive to brainstorming.

"Democratic rights are enjoyed by all citizens." This may be stipulated in laws around the world, but Switzerland may be the most complete democracy in which voters can speak directly in almost all political fields rather than through representatives. The breadth of people's participation rights in Switzerland seems to be rare among developed countries.

Whether it is a national issue such as national defense, a social issue such as environmental protection, or a moral issue such as animal slaughter methods, as long as 100,000 citizen signatures can be collected, relevant legislation can be submitted to a national vote. If a law can collect 50,000 citizen signatures within 100 days of its official promulgation, it can be challenged. Citizens can directly challenge decisions made by parliament or the government, but even if government policies are frustrated, it will not trigger a political crisis. The interaction between the top and the people has long been rooted in the spirit of Swiss democracy and has become a routine procedure that will not fluctuate due to personnel changes or be affected by the handover of political parties.

However, democracy sometimes affects political efficiency. It may take up to 5 years for a public proposal to finally become law after a complicated voting process. An extreme example is the women's suffrage law, which was passed by the parliament in 1959 but was rejected by an exclusively male electorate in the subsequent referendum. As a result, Swiss women did not have the right to vote until 1971. But supporters of direct democracy still believe that this system can prompt the government to take more into consideration the public's reaction when passing laws or decisions, and prompt ordinary people to pay attention to more social issues.

Democracy also exists at the grassroots level of Swiss society. Municipalities constitute the most basic administrative unit in Switzerland. There are approximately 2,900 municipalities in a total of 26 cantons. Municipal management bodies are elected democratically by residents. Every Swiss citizen is first and foremost a member of a municipality, and any foreigner who wants to apply for naturalization must first apply to the municipality where he lives. Municipalities exercise their own autonomy first and then implement state or federal laws. Town residents can also organize rallies to vote on important community issues.

Long-term political stability, high-quality education, an economy geared to the global market, and high-tech innovation brought about by direct democracy have helped Switzerland maintain good economic competitiveness. The 2006-2007 World Economic Forum "Global Competitiveness" report ranked Switzerland, Finland and Sweden as the most economically competitive countries in the world. The Swiss economy does not rely on large-scale manufacturing, but on high-quality products and high-skilled workers to occupy the world market with specialized products. Its R&D expenditure as a proportion of GDP is also among the highest in the world.

How can a country with two-thirds of its territory covered by forests, lakes, glaciers and rocks and extremely lacking in resource endowments build a world-renowned industry? How can a country whose citizens speak different languages and have different cultural habits maintain internal unity? How can a country that has historically been surrounded by powerful countries and surrounded by constant disputes maintain long-term neutrality and peace? With these questions in mind, our reporter recently conducted an exclusive interview with Dante Martinelli, the Swiss Ambassador to China, and asked him to describe Switzerland’s “way of life.”

Economic Observer: When talking about Switzerland, I think foreign policy would be a good starting point. Generally, when people mention Switzerland, their first impression is that it is a very peaceful country that has always remained neutral in international conflicts and is also the headquarters of many international organizations. Switzerland has not been involved in any war for a long time. How do you interpret this characteristic of Switzerland?

Martinelli: Historically, Switzerland has not always been a peaceful country like it is now. We have participated in many major events in European history. Geographically, Switzerland is at the center of Europe and is therefore affected by the situation in its neighbours. Culturally, different regions in Switzerland are greatly influenced by neighboring countries, such as Germany, Austria, Italy, France, etc. Switzerland participated in major events in European history, which had an impact on Swiss history.

It was under this situation that neutrality emerged. First of all, neutrality can bring stability within Switzerland and prevent areas that are culturally close to a certain neighbor from being affected by the situation in that country, or siding with its neighbor. Secondly, Switzerland's neutrality is always in the interests of its neighbors. Because of its geographically central location, any neighboring country does not want other countries to control this center, and this country's neutrality and non-participation in disputes between them is beneficial to all countries. Although Switzerland's neutrality only began in the 19th century, it had a positive impact on Switzerland's development, providing political stability and promoting economic development.

Economic Observer: While maintaining this neutral state, will Switzerland also actively participate in international affairs?

Martinelli: Yes, this is a very important factor. Neutrality does not mean detachment from world developments. On the contrary, Switzerland is significantly involved in international developments, for example in various actions of the United Nations and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. Switzerland now has its own presence in the Balkans, including Serbia and Kosovo, and participates in peacekeeping activities. Switzerland is also actively involved in development assistance around the world, including in Africa, Asia and South America. Switzerland is an active member of the United Nations and actively participates in activities to provide peaceful solutions and improve the international legal system.

Economic Observer: You mentioned that Switzerland has a military presence in the Balkans. Wouldn’t the Swiss public think that sending soldiers abroad would conflict with the policy of neutrality?

Martinelli: No, it’s not a contradiction. Neutral doesn't mean you can only stay within your boundaries. Today's crisis, whether in the Balkans or elsewhere, will have an impact within one's own country, so one must remain vigilant before the crisis spreads to one's own country. We will send a limited number of troops overseas, but only to participate in operations approved by the United Nations. Approval by the United Nations means that it has the consent of the international community, so it will not affect the policy of neutrality.

Economic Observer: We are very interested in Switzerland’s domestic political system. Switzerland has a total of 26 cantons and a central government. How do you divide the power of the central and local governments, maintaining the autonomous status of the cantons on the one hand, and maintaining centralized decision-making at the center on the other?

Martinelli: The Swiss political system is based on two or three important factors. The first is that our system is bottom-up, not top-down. According to this principle, we are a federal country in which each state enjoys full autonomy. Since there is a federal system, there is another important principle - the "subsidiarity principle", which means that the central government should not intervene in matters that can be handled at the local level. This allows Switzerland to be governed according to local conditions, since we have four national languages and many different cultures across the 26 cantons. German-speaking Swiss make up the majority of the population, about 70%, while three or four other cultural ethnic groups are minorities. Only by adopting such a system can we take into account the concerns of ethnic minorities.

The second important factor is that the public has the opportunity to participate in national decision-making. We call this mechanism "semi-direct democracy" (semi-direct democracy). This mechanism allows a certain number of people to apply to amend the constitution. As long as 100,000 signatures are required, they can request to amend the constitution, and 50,000 signatures can request to amend the law. This system introduces the direct participation of citizens into the political system. Therefore, the Parliament as a legislative body certainly has some work to do, but on some matters, people can ask the higher-ups to listen to their opinions, and they have ways to get their opinions heard. For example, Parliament cannot decide on constitutional changes alone and must wait or ask the people to make a decision.

Economic Observer: In other words, before amending the constitution, we must first listen to the voices of the people?

Martinelli: Yes, in some aspects, such as amending the constitution and joining inter-state organizations, this is a mandatory prerequisite. But there is another way to listen to people. On some matters, the law stipulates that the public must be solicited for their opinions; on other matters, it is optional to listen to the opinions of the people.

Economic Observer: What if people’s opinions are divided? For example, 50,000 people support this change in the law, while another 50,000 people demand another change?

MARTINELLI: What I mean is that 50,000 people can request that something be put to a public vote, and then it has to be decided by a collective vote of all citizens. These 50,000 people work just to see if there is an opportunity to put a particular matter to a vote.

Economic Observer: How many times a year do Swiss people exercise their right, I mean the right to request a vote on a certain matter?

Martinelli: On average, four times a year. We generally vote on Saturdays and Sundays. People can express their opinions on many different matters with a single vote.

Economic Observer: Is this political system unique to Switzerland?

Martinelli: Other countries also have this approach. For example, the United States has this system at the local level. But our system is quite complete, and I think Switzerland is quite unique in terms of such a complete system. Many European countries have referendum systems, but they are very different from Switzerland. In other European countries, referendums are mainly held on major national and social issues. Switzerland's system of direct democracy is the densest in the world.

Economic Observer: We would like to know more about Switzerland’s energy policy. Switzerland has basically no oil and natural gas, and China has similar energy shortages. What is Switzerland’s solution to this problem?

Martinelli: Yes, Switzerland has very limited energy sources. The only energy source we have is water power, which is what we have been using for a long time. Then there is nuclear energy, and we also have various renewable energy sources. Our approach is to improve energy efficiency and reduce energy consumption. On the other hand, we should try our best to develop renewable energy and environmentally friendly energy. This is because our domestic energy is limited, and we do not want to rely too much on imported energy, such as oil and natural gas. We try our best to meet energy needs through these two methods. In the process, we have also developed very advanced environmental protection technology and building technology, including zero-energy buildings.

Economic Observer: Have you encountered such a problem? The use of energy-saving technology will make companies feel that it is too expensive and economically inefficient, so companies choose not to adopt it. How can companies be persuaded to use this technology in Switzerland? Or is it economically feasible for companies to use such technologies, so that no persuasion is needed?

Martinelli: Economy and environmental protection are not contradictory, but mutually reinforcing. In the medium to long term, even though environmental protection may be expensive initially, it is a good investment in the long term. Factories that use environmentally friendly technologies can achieve good results in the medium to long term. At the same time, the public is very concerned about environmental protection issues, and large companies cannot allow themselves to become environmental polluters. Because if they pollute the environment, the public and consumers will refuse to buy their products. Therefore, there is no contradiction between environmental protection needs and economic development. The Swiss industry also understands very well and abides by this rule.

Economic Observer: Switzerland’s banking industry is very famous in the world, and it can even be said to be a model. China is also reforming its banking industry. China's banks have many bad debts, and the operation of the financial industry also has many problems that lead to inefficiency. In your opinion, what development experience does Switzerland’s banking industry have that other countries can learn from?

Martinelli: The Swiss banking industry has a long history, mainly developed in the second half of the 19th century. Initially, it was to meet the needs of industrial development. Switzerland was the second European country to industrialize, after Britain. After that, Switzerland had a lot of capital, but the country was too small and the local banks were too small. As a result, Swiss industries have developed abroad and spread all over the world, even in very distant places, such as Latin America and Asia. The development of Swiss industry abroad requires funds, so the banking industry has improved itself, followed the footsteps of the industry and supported its development. This is how the internationalization of the Swiss banking industry came about. Of course during this period, the banking industry benefited from political and social stability and economic development, and today it benefits from its tradition and credibility, as well as its international environment. Internationalization means fierce competition, and they must remain competitive and must have very professional capabilities to provide users with high-quality services. This not only depends on credibility, but also on good operations and continuous development of new financial instruments. This is the key to the development of the Swiss banking industry.

Economic Observer: The Swiss banking industry is very competitive, and at the same time, the competitiveness of the entire economy ranks very high in the world. What do you think is the reason for this competitiveness?

Martinelli: First of all, there are geographical factors. Our market is only 7.5 million people, which is too small, both in terms of region and population. Therefore, we have to go abroad, and to develop overseas, we must be able to sell our products. To sell products, we must be competitive. To be competitive, we must have high-quality, high-tech and durable products. product. There are two key elements to developing this high technology, one is education and the other is research. Only in this way can we ensure the quality of products and services and ensure the sustainability of the country's competitiveness. There must be innovation, and research and education are the prerequisites for innovation.

Economic Observer: How does Switzerland promote and encourage people’s innovative spirit?

Martinelli: By providing high-level, high-quality higher education and ensuring a close relationship between research and the market. We need a lot of basic research, but we also need to apply the research results according to market needs. After good research and development results are achieved, a good intellectual property protection system is needed to protect them. High-tech companies invest a lot of money and energy in human resources and research. Intellectual property protection is the key to their development. Only in this way can they ensure their profits.

Economic Observer: You mentioned that Switzerland has a very open economy, but the cost of living in Switzerland is said to be very high. This situation may be a disadvantage for foreign investors who want to enter Switzerland. Do you think so?

Martinelli: I don’t think so. There are different factors to consider when investing directly. Foreign companies investing in Switzerland will mean establishing a center in the heart of Europe, achieving a good geographical location and at the same time gaining economic, financial and financing stability. Switzerland's professional and high-quality banking and insurance industries provide a good financial environment, as well as its high-tech environment and complete public transportation that can reach all parts of Europe. For this reason, many international companies have settled in Switzerland and established their international or European centers here. In my opinion, business costs in Switzerland are not very high. If we produce high-tech products and services with high added value, this will be more than made up for.

Economic Observer: In your opinion, among so many countries in the world, what is unique about Switzerland?

Martinelli: It’s culturally diverse, with many different cultures and languages integrated into a small country. Politics is federalist and bottom-up, with respect for minorities. Economically it is the ability to expand industries around the world, internationalization, innovation and high-level scientific research capabilities. These aspects are all interconnected.

Economic Observer: What role do you think Switzerland will play in the future in this rapidly changing world?

Martinelli: Switzerland must remain open, participate enthusiastically, adapt flexibly to changes in the outside world, participate in international cooperation, participate in environmental protection, and find peaceful solutions to different conflicts around the world. I call this the “Swiss way” – we can’t be everywhere, we can’t be involved in solving every problem, but we must do our best to contribute and leave our mark.

We cannot be everywhere and participate in the solution of all problems, but we must do our best to contribute and leave our mark.