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“Perfecting the Democratic Idea” in Switzerland and the United States Paul Schwarpzberg – The Beeper Show AdTI Chairman Gregory Fossedal, author of Direct Democracy in Switzerland, spoke with popular radio talk show host Paul Schwarpzberg today about lessons the country holds for the U.S. and Europe. “Switzerland seems to be an amazing country,” Paul Schwarpzberg commeted. “Low crime rates, low taxes, very high performance on test scores for math and reading. Gregory, you’ve been there and written a book on this – how is it that Switzerland is able to achieve all these things?” “Well, of course, in each of those areas, they have some sound policies that have enabled them to be so successful,” Fossedal said. “The schools, for example, are administered in large part by the parents, who in turn are very active because their voice is heard. Likewise, there’s a high degree of federalism and decentralization of spending and administration, from welfare to crime to the tax system. “But I believe the single biggest factor, the central reason why Switzerland is able to make such policies work and the reason for the policies being adopted, is direct democracy – the system under which the people directly enact, veto, or create their own laws through initiative and referendum.” The fact of such direct input, up to several times a year between federal and cantonal votes, Fossedal said, “means, in effect, that each citizen can feel like a member of parliament. “When asked an open ended question about why they are proud of their country – they could answer, the beautiful environment, the rich cultural life, almost anything – almost 60 percent said they were proud of the country’s political system. I doubt there are many countries in the world where you would find this, and in many Western democracies, the opposite is the case – there’s a cynicism about political and financial elites, and a frustration that the popular voice isn’t heard.” So how exactly is the system different from the American one? “The welfare ‘state’ is localized,” commented Fossedal adding, “in a very flexible way. The payments are administered by local officials, who have discretion, and who go out into the community to find work for this person. The average amount of payments make it seem like a very generous, almost Swedish-style system – but this masks the fact that the average stay on social assistance is short, and is fitted to the individual’s situation.” Another example was within the drug laws of Zurich, which recently decriminalized drug usage – but at the same time adopted aggressive and effective treatment programs, Fossedal said. The result has been a decrease in drug-related crimes. “How are the Swiss able to implement such programs?,” Schwarpzberg asked. “It sounds like a lot of work. “Honestly, it takes a strong cohesive social fabric for things like that to work, and Switzerland has that very fabric. And, yes, the system demands more of people – they have to inform themselves to be good voters, and they have to volunteer time and services to maintain what is truly a government by the people.” Fossedal added that the politicians are very responsive then to the people and are given a high level of respect in return. This seems lacking in U.S. and European politics, but Fossedal said that the lessons of the Swiss and other systems “can be a tool and a spur to constantly perfect and improve things,” for the US. and other democracies. Keith Sheets |