Communes and Cantons

New Zealand Listener, Volume 5, Issue 120, 10 October 1941, Page 5

Communes and Cantons

T° describe Swiss federalism you have to start at -" the localities and work towards the centre. The foundation is composed of about 3,000 local bodies called communes, and thése possess a large amount of control over local affairs. These communes are so important to the political system, that a Swiss derives his citizenship from his rights as a member of one of them. National citizenship is based upon local citizenship. Then, above the communes, come the cantons. Their place in the governmental structure is an intermediate one between the communes below’ and the federal government above. In other words, they resemble the States in the American or the Australian federal union or the Provinces in Canada. There are 22 of these cantons, and they have very wide powers. A Swiss feels loyalty not only to his commune but also to his canton. Without the cantons Swiss democracy couldn’t function successfully. The geography of the country, as well as the local patriotism, wouldn’t permit an overwieldy central government and a chaotic array of several thousand local governments with no cement in between. Finally, at the top of the pyramid lies the central government. Its powers are strictly limited by the terms of the federal constitution; and, although in recent years the international economic difficulties and the international political situation have forced the central government to extend its powers, the cantons and the communes still play the more important part in the life of the individual citizen-("Democracy in Switzerland," Professor Lipson, 2YA, September 22.)