Product Description
Why Switzerland?, first published in 1976, offers a unique analysis of the structures that make Switzerland work and provides a short, concise "working model" for the visitor or student. Linking an analysis of the microeconomy to the major features in politics, history, religion and language, it shows how a "bottom up" society has survived in a world of "top down" states. For this new edition Jonathan Steinberg has completely revised and extended his text, and a number of unusual and attractive illustrations have been added. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Perfect for more than cheese, chocolate or Heidi
If you really want to understand Switzerland and the people there, or at least try to understand, then this is a great book.It is not an overview of the stereotypes of the Swiss, but rather a look at who they are and why they have come to be.Very interesting book.

Excellent overview
_Why Switzerland_ provides a wealth of well-documented information on how Switzerland works today, politically and socially, and how it got that way through the centuries. The style is lively and readable. It is highly recommended for anyone with an interest in the country, whether that interest is historical or contemporary.

The Bacterial Flagellum of Nation-States
Even if you had no prior curiousity about Switzerland, this book would pique your interest.The author's stated aim is to create a multidisciplinary narrative, in the tradition of the Enlightenment (Johnson, Gibbon), explaining...well..."Why Switzerland?" - i.e. how did Switzerland arise, persist, and come to be so aggressively ecclectic?

And the author has some work to do.Not unlike the 'bacterial flagellum,' Switzerland's spectacularly improbable emergence from the fabric of history could be invoked by creationists to support a 'design inference.'It is, to paraphrase Michael Behe, as though a 747 spontaneously assembled itself and took flight.

Of course, Steinberg's answer to "Why Switzerland?" is much more interesting than "God did it."It cannot be summarized, but involves grain prices, the halberd, high-altitude athletic training, cottage industry, credit and interest and William Tell.At the very least, it has something to teach us about federalism, decentralization, peaceful coexistence and martial virtue.

For me the most fascinating part of this was to see how resistance to the Hapsburgs and then Napolean created a culture of decentralized disorganization - the opposite of Absolutist/Enlightenment France.The Swiss come across like the Duke Boys of central Europe ("Someday the mountain might get'em but the law never will...").But this culture of rebellion also stands in contrast to Germany's stark tradition of blood and soil reactionism.Napolean's influence on Germany sowed the seeds of the World Wars.In Switzerland it acted as a sort of positive selection pressure, perturbing Alpine society and provoking its organization into Alpine civilization.

This is a very dense book, with more obscure names and places than a Russian novel.Some independent reference material (i.e. map, Wikipedia) is useful to figure out just which Johann is which, and to distiguish the various mountain passes from one and other (passes being the primary geographical feature and navigational reference point for most of the nation's history).But a reader's close attention to this book will be very well repaid.

An encyclopedic, sociological study of a multicultural land
This work, first published more than a quarter-century ago and twice revised, most recently in 1996, succeeds because the national Swiss characteristics which it explores are essentially timeless and unchanging. While tracing the begrudging and belated enfranchisement of women and the gradual integration of Roman Catholic and Jewish minorities who once were isolated, the author conveys the underlying tensions beneath a remarkably successful experiment in coexistence. As one who lived and worked in Switzerland for more than eight years, and whose own memoir, Living Among The Swiss, was published in January 1999, I can attest that Mr. Steinberg's generalizations ring true to my own experience and observations, and that they are supported by a myriad of political and sociological details that one would normally expect to learn only from a highly educated native. The prose, though scholarly, is highly readable, and evidences deep thought and mature reflection.

Must read if you spend over a week in Switzerland
This turned out to be an utterly fascinating book, and it explained quite a bit about Swiss behavior and culture.While I of course can't vouch for everything in the book, I've tested a lot of it by observation and questioning the natives, and it seems consistent with reality.

Switzerland turns out to have a number of unique characteristics that aren't obvious to the outsider.For example, the government consists of an extraordinarily complex nested set of committees with a rotating presidency.The author makes the case that virtually all Swiss institutions, including government at all levels, the church and major corporations, are strongly influenced by an 800-year tradition of committee organization.In spite of having the most stable government in Europe (which my Swiss co-workers do not dispute), Switzerland has one of the most malleable constitutions in the world (which my co-workers do dispute).

I'm personally fascinated by language issues, so I read ahead to that chapter before finishing the lengthy chapter on politics.Again, Switzerland is unique in its treatment of dialects, which have very different social implications and practices in the French, German, Italian, and Romansh areas.According to the author, the urban Swiss Germans gave serious consideration to aligning themselves with 'greater Germany' in the 19th century.This obviously did not take place, and one of the unique results is that the local versions of Schwyzer Tüütsch (choose your spelling depending upon the valley you're in) are universally spoken without significant class variations.In other words, this chapter explains why the Italian Swiss are more likely to be comfortable in standard Italian, and the French Swiss are more comfortable in standard French, than the Swiss Germans are speaking standard German.As any outsider who speaks German is painfully aware, the Swiss Germans read and write standard German (Hochdeutsch), but generally prefer not to speak it.

Swiss seem more willing to discuss politics than religion, but the chapter on religion was enlightening.After all, Switzerland was at the heart of the reformation, with Zwingli in Züri and Calvin in Geneva.Again, the Swiss are unique among European countries in their treatment of religion and the extraordinary compromises they have made to allow the peaceful co-existence of roman catholicism and protestantism.

The Swiss military is, unsurprisingly at this point, another unique institution.Virtually the entire male population is expected to belong to the reserves for most of their working years, and they keep their weapons and ammunition in their homes.It was only recently that 52 year olds were no longer required to serve a short annual duty.I've found that the military intrudes regularly when you are working with the Swiss, so besides being interesting, the chapter on the Army is helpful in becoming more aware of some of the workplace dynamics.

How can a country with 4 different official languages have and maintain a common culture?What do the different regions have in common?Quite a bit, actually.Anyone who deals with the Swiss on a regular basis or spends over a week here would find this book a helpful start on building an understanding of Swiss institutions and culture.This would also be an excellent book for students doing cultural area studies of Europe or Switzerland.It is a good read, and anyone interested in contemporary Europe would enjoy it and find it educational. ... Read more

Product Description
This volume is produced from digital images created through the University of Michigan University Library's preservation reformatting program. The Library seeks to preserve the intellectual content of items in a manner that facilitates and promotes a variety of uses. The digital reformatting process results in an electronic version of the text that can both be accessed online and used to create new print copies. This book and thousands of others can be found in the digital collections of the University of Michigan Library. The University Library also understands and values the utility of print, and makes reprints available through its Scholarly Publishing Office. ... Read more

Product Description
This volume is produced from digital images created through the University of Michigan University Library's preservation reformatting program. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Judging the book by the cover
This is a fine book for what it is, which is a history written in the 19th century. But look at the cover- doesn't it look fairly modern? If you buy this book expecting history into the 20th century, you will obviously be disappointed.

History in the Gibbons Style
Written in the 1820's, the language is very much in the style of Edward Gibbon (Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire):a flowing narrative, sometimes a bit florid, with definite points of view.You will not doubt whom the author considers a good guy and whom a bad guy.

Historiography has changed much in 120 years.You will not find the details (much less the footnotes) you would expect in a modern account.On the other hand, the author covers 2000 years in only 350 pages, so there is little room for them.

All in all, a pleasant read. ... Read more

Product Description
Switzerland is a remarkable country half of whose territory lies in the Alps. This is the history of one Swiss alpine village. Raising cattle and making chees brought modest wealth to its struggling peasants until a destructive Napoleonic invasion brought revolution and poverty. Well-being was slowly restored by a democratic unification of Switzerland. The Alps took on a romantic tourist glow in the Edwardian age and after the disruptions of two world wars the highland farmers and guest house keeps began to prosper. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

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Oliver Zimmer examines the ways in which the Swiss defined their national identity in the nineteenth century, in the face of a changing domestic and international background. Zimmer explores why the nation became the focus of public concern at particular historical junctures, how different social actors created and re-created Swiss nationhood, and why the Swiss embraced some definitions rather than others. Beginning in the 1760s, which witnessed the genesis of an early national movement, the book ends in the 1890s when Switzerland developed into a modern nation. ... Read more

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From historical beginnings to contemporary comparative analysis, this book offers an authoritative explanation and analysis of the success of the Swiss banks. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an OCR edition without illustrations or index. It may have numerous typos or missing text. However, purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original rare book from GeneralBooksClub.com. You can also preview excerpts from the book there. Purchasers are also entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Original Published by: C. S. Francis & co. in 1855 in 438 pages; Subjects: Switzerland; History / Europe / Western; Law / Administrative Law & Regulatory Practice; Travel / Europe / Switzerland; ... Read more

Product Description
The International Red Cross was the inspiration - the dream - of Henri Dunant, a 31-year-old businessman appalled by the butchery and lack of medical care for injured soldiers during the battle of Solferino in 1859. With Gustave Moynier, another Swiss, Dunant set out to create an international organization which was not only to alter irrevocably, the fate of all those wounded in every war, but which moved rapidly into international humanitarian law, refugee work, prison conditions and the tracking of people parted by warfare. The original Geneva Convention of 1864, for which the Red Cross was directly responsible, is one of the most important international instruments of humanitarian law ever formulated. Today the Red Cross has 137 national societies and 250 million members. Yet it remains an inscrutable institution - very much the same animal today as in the 1870s - governed by the Swiss alone, but highly dependent for its diplomats and staff on foreigners - all of whom are required to sign a pledge of secrecy. This text traces the origins of the Red Cross, its main areas of work including some of its most difficult and contentious interventions, and its work with refugees.It investigates the secretive paranoia of the headquarters and uncovers some truths about the Red Cross and its relationship with some of the most horrific and barbaric political regimes of the 20th century. It also examines the concept of neutrality - central to the Red Cross - and its feasibility in the modern world.Amazon.com Review
When vacationing Genevan businessman Henri Dunant arrived atthe resort community of Solferino, Italy, in June 1859, he certainlydid not expect to find the remains of a bloody battle, concludedearlier in the day, between the Austrians and the French. Thecasualties, over 6,000 of them, horrified Dunant. More shocking werethe survivors, left unattended on the bloody battlefield, many of themseverely wounded and near death. Overcome by the brutality of thescene before him, Dunant organized and led a team of volunteers thatsystematically cared for the wounded. Within five years, he and fourother prosperous Swiss citizens formed the International Committee forRelief to the Wounded and drafted the first Geneva Convention.

Renamed in 1876 the International Committee of the Red Cross, theorganization today comprises 137 national societies and 250 millionmembers. The Committee that governs it, however, has changed littlesince the 1870s. According to CarolineMoorehead, author of Dunant's Dream: War, Switzerland and theHistory of the Red Cross, the power to monitor and criticize allgovernments of the world remains "in the hands of a small band ofco-opted, elderly Swiss lawyers and bankers." While the InternationalCommittee has operated staunchly on its self-prescribed principlesthroughout the 20th century, many of its decisions, actions, andinstances of inaction have been ambiguous and seemingly motivated bypolitics. In Dunant's Dream, Moorehead, a London-basedjournalist, presents a scrutinizing yet balanced history of theorganization. Despite its length, Dunant's Dream makes noattempt to be comprehensive. Instead, Moorehead, her argumentsupported by unprecedented access to private Red Cross archives inGeneva, analyzes the conflicts, issues, and moral dilemmas from over130 years of war and natural disasters that have had the mostdetermining effect on the growth of the modern Red Cross. --BertinaLoeffler Sedlack ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Worth the investment...
This book is definitely an investment of time and energy at over 700 pages long. However, depending on your interest level, it may be worth it. I decided to read this book after going through my volunteer and instructor training with the American Red Cross. I wanted to understand the history, culture, and development of the international Red Cross organization and "movement" as well as the issues it faces in dealing with wars and disasters. This book definitely did not disappoint. It offers a fascinating look at the founding of the organization as well as an in-depth look at its work in a variety of world conflicts. The focus is mostly on its work in war vs. in natural disasters, including World War I and II, Korea, Biafra, Cambodia, and others. The author admits in her introduction that there are many conflicts that are not covered. Vietnam is left out, Latin America is barely touched on, and there is only one chapter that deals specifically with the American Red Cross (in its early years). However, this book definitely provides an overview and concrete examples of the moral, ethical, political, and logistical issues this organization faces. Moorehead is indeed a good writer, but her work definitely alternates between engaging and overdone. Some chapters are so fascinating that the reading is effortless, while in just a few instances she provides too many minor details that can bog the reader down. But on the whole, her book was very enjoyable despite its length. It definitely left a hunger for more on the Red Cross' encounters in other world conflicts as well as in natural disasters. It might have been worthwhile for Moorehead to separate the book into two volumes, but that is of course the author's choice. Regardless, I feel I have been offered a unique glimpse into the Red Cross and international issues by reading this book.

An International Nurse Reviews "Dunant's Dream"
I am named after my aunt, a Red Cross nurse who was an Army nurse in World War II.I am also a nurse (and also a Red Cross nursing volunteer, although I have never worked full time for the organization), and a former officer in the Navy Nurse Corps. My speciality is international health; my work has taken me to some of the poorest and least developed places in the world.I have seen first-hand the work of the Red Cross in war zones and after natural disasters.I currently work in a human rights organization. I recently visited the ICRC Headquarters in Geneva, along with its spectacular museum.

All this is to say that I bring more than an casual perspective to this book--and it dazzled me.Despite its incredible length, it felt too short.Ms.Moorehead writes lucidly, compassionately, and well.Her research is scholarly, her documentation is meticulous, her compassion and her critical abilities are always evident.She rightfully praises the individual courage of the Red Cross founders and leaders (not only Dunant, the Swiss banker, but the other significant figures in Red Cross history, including the American nurse, Clara Barton, who founded the American Red Cross and pioneered its role in natural disasters).

But the book is not just an encomium to the good deeds of idealists. Moorehead is frank in her appraisals of the weaknesses and foibles of both the people and the organization itself.She examines the evolving role of the Red Cross, which began as an adjunct to the gentlemanly wars of the 19th century, grew to a worldwide relief agency in the unimaginable horrorsof the 20th century and, most recently, has had to become a competitor for the world's glory in humantarian activities.

Most importantly, she examines the historical record and the ethical dilemnas of an organization which was founded on the Swiss principles of neutrality and quiet diplomacy and was then faced with atrocities in its own back yard: she provides a very careful appraisal of the role of the Red Cross during the WWII Holocaust.It is clear that the Red Cross as an organization provided too little aid to the victims of Nazis, gave it too late and perhaps gave it for the wrong reasons--publicity rather than compassion.(A horrendous, but littleknown, fact is that the physician who was appointed head of the German Red Cross by Hitler was behind thesavage medical experimentation done in the camps.He committed suicide before he could be tried as a war criminal).

Nonetheless, Moorehead is unstinting in her admiration for those individual Red Cross delegates whose independent actions were able to save thousands of Jews and others. There were Red Cross delegates who raced along lines of Jews being forcibly marched to their deportation and death, desperately throwing them food and attempting to rescue anyone they could by bribing, cajoling or fooling the guards.

Moorehead depicts the failures and the multitudinous successes of the Red Cross, and includes enough individual tales and humor to make her account extraordinarily readable.Despite its failings in some arenas, I remain an overall admirer of the Red Cross itself, and I am an unabashed admirer of this book. "Dunant's Dream" can be read for its comprehensive and engrossing history, but readers interested in the larger diplomatic and ethical issues of international aid will find it invaluable. Absolutely recommended.

Well Worth the Effort
This book is not for the faint of heart.It is a hefty seven hundred page epic.However, I found the book spellbinding and finished reading it in less than three weeks time.I would especially recommend DUNANT'S DREAM to those interested in human rights or history.Caroline Morehead is a gifted writer who balances objectivity with revealing glimpses at the men and women who have made the International Committee of the Red Cross the premier human rights and relief agency in the world.I came away from Morehead's book with a clearer understanding of the complex circumstances involving humanitarianism during times of conflict and turmoil.I am sorry that this very worthwhile book is now out of print.However, I am glad that is available in libraries and through "out of print" dealers. ... Read more

Product Description
Originally published in 1882.This volume from the Cornell University Library's print collections was scanned on an APT BookScan and converted to JPG 2000 format by Kirtas Technologies.All titles scanned cover to cover and pages may include marks notations and other marginalia present in the original volume. ... Read more

Product Description
This work in three volumes is about the geological, enviromental, cultural, polticial, sociological and international development of Switzerland. This volume concentrates on prehistorical Switzerland. This text discusses the development of Switzerland from the Big Bang to the Iron Age. This work shows how the land was developed and argues that by the end of the Iron Age Switzerland was already a cross-roads of Europe with a non-segregated society. ... Read more

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This scarce antiquarian book is a selection from Kessinger Publishings Legacy Reprint Series. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting, preserving, and promoting the worlds literature. Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone! ... Read more