How/why has Switzerland remained a durable state despite its multilingualism?
All other multi-lingual countries in Europe have either split apart, or look like they could do so. But I've never heard of separatism being a thing in Switzerland (but maybe it is/was?)
Because there is a distinct Swiss national identity that has been built over time, almost accidentally.
>Switzerland has good warriors and manages to get the fuck out of the HRE by the time of the Peace of Westphalia
>slowly annexes/integrates other local microstates (last is Geneva in 1815)
>the French Swiss realize they get way much autonomy in Switzerland than if they joined the post 1791 Unitary Empire of Greater Paris
>Germany and Italy aren't unified yet at the time so the Swiss and Italian Germans DGAF
>1847 is the Sonderbund War between Federalist Protestants and Confederalist Catholics
>Protestants win, a constitution is written, a common swiss identity starts being built
>around that time the Swiss start getting immensely rich, creating a strong middle class
>none of them want to join their respective Greater brothers (France, Germany, Italy) because "eww they're poor"
>Franco-Prussian War & WW1 & WW2 solidify Switzerland's resolve of continuing Armed Neutrality, the Swiss National Identity is further entrenched in trains, chocolate, gold and Lederhosen
Basically in this day and age the Swiss feel that they are distinctly Swiss even though they don't speak the same langauge. They look down on the rest of Europe. My Swiss friends unironically call France a 2rd World Socialist Shithole where everyone barely gets by on SMIC and won't buy anything that has been made east or south of the Austrian border.
A strong sense of civic nationalism.
The Swiss are literally Napoleon's legacy.
It's... a micro HRE
>>484632
Was Switzerland really notably richer than surrounding states in the past? Why/how?
>>484754
No, it was actually poorer than average until the ~1840's. Switzerland's enrichment conveniently coincided with the emergence of Nationalism.
As to why it's basically:
>19th century tourism (Brits mainly)
>extreme reputation of stability
>Banking tradition (personal bankers of the Kingdom of France before the Revolution)
>few taxes, big regional autonomy
>the Swiss were obsessed with creating a good infrastructure in their rocky mountains which jumpstarted industry (mining, logging manufacturing)
>>484794
Switzerland had a very early Industrialization, it was likely one of the first countries in continental Europe to do so. Textile industry, as a derivate of this chemical industry, Hydropower, machine building, you name it.
>>484576
Theres cultural barriers that are older than the different languages and still hold up nicely. Theres the Brünig-Napf-Reuss Line, west of this Burgundian tribes settled, east of this Allemanni. Thats migration era. Still holds up, Eastern sided the cows are brown, the card decks are German and the inheritance laws prefer the oldest son.
Western side the cows are black and white, the cards French and the youngest son gets the farm.
Both sides of the line speak a German dialect, but are clearly separated.
Theres also a nice zig zag pattern of catholic and protestants all over the country.
No idea what kept us stable, maybe our differences acted as a good set of checks and balances and the mountains and unfriendly weather did the rest.
>>484632
>Switzerland has good warriors and manages to get the fuck out of the HRE by the time of the Peace of Westphalia
that was just de jure, de facto the left the HRE in 1499 after winning the Swabian war.
>>484632
>They look down on the rest of Europe.
Honestly, in some way we look down on the entire Planet, with he possible exceptions of Iceland and New Zealand.
>Switzerland would love to be an island too
>shitty neighbors are loud, drunk, poor and always having war
>>484576
because wevlearn each other's language in school.
>>484576
>romansh
Do people even use it?
>>485299
They do in some remote valleys. Also they got their own radio and tv and they use it in school.
>>484576
As a Belgian, I think that it is because they respect eachothers languages and territorial integrity which allows them to share a special snowflake kind of nationalism.
Geography, economics, and nationalism
What are some good books on Swiss history?
>>485605
>What are some good books on Swiss history?
In English?
>>486309
preferably
>>485086
So just ignore their shameful behavior as a "neutral" country during WW2.
