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1995 St. Louis-Warsaw Transatlantic L.J. 163 (1995)
Swiss Federalism: A Model for Russia

handle is hein.journals/slwtlj1995 and id is 169 raw text is: SwIss FEDERALISM: A MODEL FOR RussIA? Peter Sager* As Russia struggles to define its future in terms of creating an enduring gov- ernmental structure, questions will inevitably arise as to which system of government truly satisfies the country's needs. This paper discusses the Swiss re- gime, which has combined the federal and confederal approaches to democratic government, and assesses the appropriateness of such an approach for Russia. A federation is a close union of separate states yielding, within a constitu- tional framework, a certain amount of sovereignty to an overarching political entity; yet the state retains competence to deal independently with local political, social, and economic problems. The European Union and the United States are two well known examples. A confederation is a much looser union of separate political entities. The states yield less of their sovereignty in matters of foreign .policy and defense. Moreover, their boundaries are less stable since member states are able to leave the confederation rather easily, unlike members of a federation. I. THE SWISS SYSTEM OF FEDERALISM Switzerland, officially named the Helvetic Confederation, is a federation with, perhaps, the strongest confederal elements of all federations. To understand Swit- zerland and its federal system, we have to examine its origins. The Gotthard Pass in Central Switzerland was once of great strategic impor- tance as a generally available line of trade and communication between Northern and Southern Europe. The balance of power in the region surrounding the Got- thard Pass was such that no single power was strong enough to control the region against the will of other neighboring powers. All the more so as the people in what is today Central Switzerland were excellent soldiers, much sought after as mercenaries by many kings and other nobility. They were capable of defending themselves successfully against attempts at foreign domination until the end of the eighteenth century when, during the Napoleonic wars, Switzerland was in- vaded by.French and Russian troops. Most importantly, this special strategic location of the Gotthard Pass brought about a tacit agreement among the continental powers of the time to leave the Ph.D. (University of Bern); M.A. (Harvard University); Member of the Board, Foundation of Democracy, Bern, Switzerland; former Vice-President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

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