Thesis on "Swiss and Swedish Neutrality"

Thesis 15 pages (3764 words) Sources: 5 Style: Chicago

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Neutrality of Switzerland and Sweden has garnered a great deal of attention over the years. The purpose of this discussion is to compare and contrast Switzerland's and Sweden's policies of neutrality in theory and in practice. In addition the research will focus on why neutrality is important to international affairs and the purpose it serves within the context of the global community. Let us begin the discussion by defining neutrality.

Neutrality

As it pertains to foreign policy, there are different types of neutrality including permanent, armed, strict or benevolent neutrality (Bengt, 1990). According to Malmborg (2002)

Vattel prescribed that a state that declared itself neutral could choose between strict and benevolent neutrality. Strict neutrality consisted in observing an attitude of impartiality between the belligerents. The neutral state could for instance authorise or prohibit the passage of troops over its territory, but all belligerents must enjoy the same treatment. Benevolent neutrality, on the other hand, allowed an unequal economic treatment of the belligerents. It even permitted the neutral to maintain an alliance with one of the belligerents, on the condition that it was purely defensive in nature, that it was concluded before the outbreak of war, and that the conditions were fixed in advance (Malmborg, 18)."

According to the author the establishment of neutrality as an aspect of foreign policy, reflects an aspiration to avoid the military, financial, economic and social consequences associated with war. This aspiration comes when a nation has experienced defeat. Neutrality presents a state with the opportunity to limit its military efforts defending its territory against aggressors which allows the neutral state to designate resources for other problems the state might face.

Indeed, neutrality has developed over time as an aspect of foreign policy that certain countries such as Switzerland have become famous or even infamous. The idea of neutrality is not new and dates back many centuries for both Switzerland and Sweden. Although Switzerland and Sweden have neutrality in common the reasons why neutrality exists in these nations are quite different.

In addition the manner in which these nations incorporate neutrality into their overall foreign policy schemata are quite different.. The following paragraphs of this discussion will provide a historic framework upon which neutrality in these two nations was designed.

Neutrality in Switzerland

According to Gsthl (2002) Switzerland has maintained a special type of neutrality and has been committed to this neutrality longer than any other nation. To gain a firm understanding of the history of neutrality in Switzerland it is important to understand the foundation of this neutrality. A book entitled Reluctant Europeans: Norway, Sweden, and Switzerland in the Process of Integration explains that neutrality is the primary component associated with Swiss identity. The author explains Switzerland's neutrality is deeply rooted in the nation's desire for independence. The author asserts

Switzerland has liberated itself from foreign rulers and has resisted subjugation by the European great powers. A profound mistrust of "foreign judges" provokes the same negative reactions in Switzerland as does the notion of a "union" in Norway. Switzerland's internal cohesion has been strengthened by the mobilization against a common enemy, starting with the Habsburg empire and continuing with Napoleon, Nazi Germany, and the communist threat during the Cold War. The national myth of Switzerland being a special case (Sonderfall) in Europe was further bolstered by the period of peace since the Napoleonic wars, an experience the Swiss share with the Swedes (Gsthl 2002, 38)."

Swiss neutrality came about during the 16th century and there were four main components that led to the country's neutral status. These four components are as follows

1. The Swiss cantons or states rejected the relinquishment of their local independence for a centralized leadership. Such centralized leadership would have been needed if they were to maintain their liberal foreign policies after they were defeated in Italy during the first part of the sixteenth century (Gsthl 2002).

2. Swiss involvement in the religious wars would have hurt the confederation, which was divided Catholics composing one part and Protestants composing the other (Gsthl 2002).

3. The balance of power in Europe was dependent upon the neutrality of the Swiss. Swiss neutrality has also assisted in maintaining the balance for many years (Gsthl 2002).

4. The absence of neutrality might lead to wars between the various European nations as they jockeyed for position. Switzerland would be a vulnerable position because of the location of the nation (Gsthl 2002).

These are some of the primary reasons why Switzerland's neutrality came about, but there are also other reasons for Swiss neutrality. The author points out that Switzerland is different from many other nations because it is not defined by a common culture, language or religion. It is instead defined by will. In other words it exists because the Swiss people and its government want it to exist and they have established a governmental structure that allows it to exist. The author contends that Swiss neutrality satisfies an internal function (Gsthl 2002).

According to Gsthl (2002) the domestic predecessor of neutrality in Switzerland was known as Stillesitzen (to sit still). This strategy had been utilized in various coalitions amongst the Swiss cantons since the fourteenth century. The guiding principal of Stillesitzen was to avoid interfering in the disagreements of other cantons. The parties were to remain neutral and allow those that had differences to resolve those differences amongst themselves. According to the author the Switzerland's neutrality was first recognized internationally in 1815. This recognition was given the Swiss by the European great powers at the peach conferences of Vienna and Paris. In addition, Switzerland's Federal Constitution drafted in 1848 establishes the philosophy of neutrality as the cornerstone of the nation's foreign policy.

The author also reports that although Switzerland has established itself as a neutral country it can abandon this status if it so chooses. It can do so because it has never established an agreement with the international community to remain neutral.

The neutrality of Switzerland was tested the most during World War II when the nation found itself surrounded by the Axis Powers. During this time in history the country had to assert a balance between resisting invasions and the threats posed by the Axis Powers and conformity to the reality of the war. In an effort to strike a balance between these two factions the Swiss allowed the transmission of certain goods to the less desirable political factions, however the Swiss would not allow weapons or troops to travel through Swiss territory. The Swiss were able to maintain neutrality by continuing to trade with all sides engaged in the conflict, the country also exported war equipment to both sides engaged in the conflict. In addition, Switzerland supplied Germany and Italy with financial credits. The author further explains the status of Switzerland's neutrality during this time saying,

According to the traditional Swiss conception, a permanently neutral state must aim at a policy that avoids any obligations in peacetime that might, in the case of war, prevent it from following the rules of neutrality law. Since World War II (and until recently), these so-called antecedent effects (Vorwirkungen) of neutrality have been interpreted as comprising not only abstention from military alliances but also an economic policy that prevents the country from being drawn into an international conflict. The decisive criterion has been whether a commitment entered into during peace could be canceled during war to regain the independence necessary to sustain neutrality (Gsthl, 2002)."

Indeed, there are many issues that arise as it pertains to the maintaining of neutral status. Among these issues is the difficulty that nation's often face in maintaining neutrality during war. This is particularly true when the war is close to the location of the neutral county or when a war is controversial in the eyes of the international community such as the Iraq war. On such occasions neutral nations must be firm in their stances and not compromise their established beliefs concerning neutrality and the role they play in the international community as it pertains to neutrality.

Another aspect of maintaining independence is membership into various alliances. As it pertains to Switzerland admittance into the European Union (EU) has posed a bit of the dilemma. On the one hand Switzerland has desired to maintain it autonomy, but on the other hand the economic, socials and military protection afforded nations who are part of the EU are also desirable.

Because this dilemma exists, Switzerland has for many years cultivated and negotiated a relationship with the European Union through a series of bilateral agreements. These agreements include the following: - the Free Trade Agreement of 1972, the Insurance Agreement of 1989 and the Bilateral Agreements I & II of 1999 and 2004. The Free Trade Agreement of 1972 established a free trade zone. The insurance agreement established in 1989 "guarantees insurance companies of both parties the freedom to establish operations in the territory of the other contracting party ("Bilateral agreements Switzerland-EU")."

Overall Switzerland has established and maintained permanent neutrality in a way that… READ MORE

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