The Real Reason Switzerland Remains Neutral
It may not have always been easy, but for centuries, Switzerland has maintained a policy of armed neutrality in international affairs — the oldest such policy in the world. The origins of Switzerland’s neutrality date to the defeat of the Old Swiss Confederacy by the French at the Battle of Marignano in 1515. Following the humbling loss, the Swiss Confederacy abandoned its expansionist foreign policy and moved toward a policy of avoiding future conflict in the interest of self-preservation. However, it was the Napoleonic Wars that truly solidified Switzerland’s position in the world as a neutral nation. France invaded Switzerland in 1798, and turned it into a satellite of Napoleon Bonaparte’s empire, de facto forcing it to abandon its neutrality.
After Napoleon’s defeat at Waterloo, the major European powers concluded that a neutral Switzerland would serve as a valuable buffer zone between France and Austria and contribute to stability in the region. During 1815’s Congress of Vienna, they signed a declaration affirming Switzerland’s “perpetual neutrality” within the international community that has been maintained ever since, according to the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation. And it has not participated in a foreign war since its neutrality was established by the Treaty of Paris in 1815.
Switzerland's neutrality should not be confused for pacifism
History — especially World War II — has certainly tested the Swiss and their commitment to neutrality. It took serious resolve to be a small neutral country surrounded by totalitarian countries, as Germany occupied France. But the Swiss were determined to fiercely defend themselves. “It is of the greatest importance that we leave no doubt in anybody’s mind that not even the most hopeless situation will make us capitulate voluntarily, and before we can be commanded we have got to be beaten,” the Swiss newspaper, Volksrecht, insisted at the time, according to Stephen Hallbrook’s book, Target Switzerland.
For a militarily neutral country, Switzerland developed an army that created envy. “Man for man, Switzerland probably has the second best army in Europe today,” Time reported during World War II, adding that an army three times its size “might need valuable months to crack. The Swiss Army can be mobilized in half an hour.”
Following World War II — a calmer time, regionally — Switzerland has taken a leading role in global affairs by spearheading humanitarian efforts around the world. However, it has taken itself out of any kind of military operations. It has never joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) or the European Union. The small Alpine nation is so vehemently anti-interventionist that it didn’t even join the United Nations until 2002. However, the Swiss still maintain an army for defense purposes, requiring part-time military service from all men between 18 and 34 years of age.
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