# What do the Swiss think of the concept, "If you are neutral in the face of oppression, you have sided with the oppressor?" **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [May 25, 2023, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-the-swiss-think-of-the-concept-if-you-are-neutral-in-the-face-of-oppression-you-have-sided-with-the-oppressor/984586 "2023-05-25T16:52:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2023, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-the-swiss-think-of-the-concept-if-you-are-neutral-in-the-face-of-oppression-you-have-sided-with-the-oppressor/984586/1 "2023-05-25T16:52:24Z")
Obviously, Swiss people hold diverse views, they are not one hive mind or monolith. Nevertheless, Switzerland has had the long-lasting policy of neutrality in war regardless of what the war is being fought for or who was the aggressor (recent example: trying its hardest to prevent Swiss stuff from being sent to Ukraine). So what I’m wondering is - is it that Switzerland genuinely thinks there’s **never** a good side or a bad side - everyone’s always equally to blame, or rather, they do think there **is** good and bad, but think, “Meh, if evil wins, it’s fine, I’m chill with it?” If they think conflict isn’t worth getting involved in, that’s one thing, but I get the impression sometimes that it’s the latter. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2023, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-the-swiss-think-of-the-concept-if-you-are-neutral-in-the-face-of-oppression-you-have-sided-with-the-oppressor/984586/2 "2023-05-25T17:23:38Z")
There’s a pretty big excluded middle in your argument. There are many reasons why believing that a neutral third party in conflicts is good for all parties. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2023, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-the-swiss-think-of-the-concept-if-you-are-neutral-in-the-face-of-oppression-you-have-sided-with-the-oppressor/984586/3 "2023-05-25T17:25:25Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > So what I’m wondering is - is it that Switzerland genuinely thinks there’s **never** a good side or a bad side - everyone’s always equally to blame, or rather, they do think there **is** good and bad, but think, “Meh, if evil wins, it’s fine, I’m chill with it?” Why are those the only two possibilities? When you see people fighting, do you always feel obliged to join the fight? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2023, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-the-swiss-think-of-the-concept-if-you-are-neutral-in-the-face-of-oppression-you-have-sided-with-the-oppressor/984586/4 "2023-05-25T17:45:07Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > When you see people fighting, do you always feel obliged to join the fight? I believe the question is not “When you see people fighting, do you always feel obliged to join the fight?”, but rather “When you see two groups fighting, do you _never_ feel obliged to join the fight?” ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2023, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-the-swiss-think-of-the-concept-if-you-are-neutral-in-the-face-of-oppression-you-have-sided-with-the-oppressor/984586/5 "2023-05-25T18:09:03Z")
I think everybody is afraid of the Swiss because of their knives. If they have knives that do all those things just imagine what their guns might do. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2023, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-the-swiss-think-of-the-concept-if-you-are-neutral-in-the-face-of-oppression-you-have-sided-with-the-oppressor/984586/6 "2023-05-25T20:29:44Z")
[![](https://www.insidehook.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Zorg_Social_1477589649.jpg?fit=1200%2C630) ](https://www.insidehook.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Zorg_Social_1477589649.jpg?fit=1200%2C630) Made by the Space Swiss. ---
**Author:** ![NinthAcolyte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ninthacolyte/32/13676_2.png) [@NinthAcolyte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinthAcolyte)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2023, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-the-swiss-think-of-the-concept-if-you-are-neutral-in-the-face-of-oppression-you-have-sided-with-the-oppressor/984586/7 "2023-05-25T20:36:39Z")
A question that may or may not have bearing: Is the Swiss position on neutrality ideological or practical in nature? To expand on my question - is Swiss neutrality based on a belief that remaining neutral is the best, most correct, ideal thing to do? Or is it based on practical factors like small size, limited/nonexistent ability to project military power, and/or the perceived necessity of a third-party mediator in managing global conflicts? Or does it come from a third or a combination of factors? ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2023, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-the-swiss-think-of-the-concept-if-you-are-neutral-in-the-face-of-oppression-you-have-sided-with-the-oppressor/984586/8 "2023-05-25T20:54:59Z")
Most nations are pragmatic about their alliances; we just dress it up in righteousness. The Swiss, surrounded on all sides by ambitious nations, have every reason in the world to embrace neutrality especially since a neutral Switzerland is one of the few things pretty much every nation agrees is advantageous. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2023, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-the-swiss-think-of-the-concept-if-you-are-neutral-in-the-face-of-oppression-you-have-sided-with-the-oppressor/984586/9 "2023-05-25T21:36:17Z")
Well put sir. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2023, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-the-swiss-think-of-the-concept-if-you-are-neutral-in-the-face-of-oppression-you-have-sided-with-the-oppressor/984586/10 "2023-05-25T22:11:43Z")
Here’s the Wikipedia article: > **[Swiss neutrality](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swiss_neutrality)** > > Swiss neutrality is one of the main principles of Switzerland's foreign policy which dictates that Switzerland is not to be involved in armed or political conflicts between other states. This policy is self-imposed and designed to ensure external security and promote peace. > Switzerland has the oldest policy of military neutrality in the world; it has not participated in a foreign war since its neutrality was established by the Treaty of Paris in 1815. > Although the European powers (Austria, Fran... ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2023, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-the-swiss-think-of-the-concept-if-you-are-neutral-in-the-face-of-oppression-you-have-sided-with-the-oppressor/984586/11 "2023-05-25T22:20:10Z")
Being “neutral” in the face of oppression has been quite profitable for the Swiss. [https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/nazis/readings/sinister.html](https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/nazis/readings/sinister.html) ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2023, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-the-swiss-think-of-the-concept-if-you-are-neutral-in-the-face-of-oppression-you-have-sided-with-the-oppressor/984586/12 "2023-05-26T00:12:57Z")
Reading your Wikipedia link, especially the sections on the Middle East and Ukraine, it sounds like their neutrality is fraying. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2023, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-the-swiss-think-of-the-concept-if-you-are-neutral-in-the-face-of-oppression-you-have-sided-with-the-oppressor/984586/13 "2023-05-26T00:31:07Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > The Swiss, surrounded on all sides by ambitious nations, have every reason in the world to embrace neutrality… I get a lot of crap from friends who make fun of my Swissiness. Banking/Laundering for the Nazis is the most common. “Look, they had the choice of being Nazis’ bankers or being Nazis.” Me personally, I saw a lot of fights break out as a kid. Never felt compelled to join one. ---
**Author:** ![Chingon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chingon/32/17645_2.png) [@Chingon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chingon)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2023, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-the-swiss-think-of-the-concept-if-you-are-neutral-in-the-face-of-oppression-you-have-sided-with-the-oppressor/984586/14 "2023-05-26T00:40:57Z")
Oh I’m sure the Swiss were crying tears all throughout WWII as they counted their stolen gold. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2023, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-the-swiss-think-of-the-concept-if-you-are-neutral-in-the-face-of-oppression-you-have-sided-with-the-oppressor/984586/15 "2023-05-26T00:49:10Z")
Our family liked the old saying > _The Swiss; not so good with people, but great with chocolate and other people’s gold._ ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2023, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-the-swiss-think-of-the-concept-if-you-are-neutral-in-the-face-of-oppression-you-have-sided-with-the-oppressor/984586/16 "2023-05-26T00:50:56Z")
You know what the fellow said…in Italy under the Borgias, they had 30 years of murder, bloodshed, and warfare, and they produced indigestible noodles, boring operas and the Fiat. In Switzerland, they had brotherly love, 500 years of democracy and peace, and what did they produce? The Swiss bank account, the best cheese in the world, and _Heidi_! Credit: _Pinky and the Brain_ ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2023, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-the-swiss-think-of-the-concept-if-you-are-neutral-in-the-face-of-oppression-you-have-sided-with-the-oppressor/984586/17 "2023-05-26T00:54:04Z")
> [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](#): > > Credit: _Pinky and the Brain_ [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/cydkTy6GmFA/hqdefault.jpg "The Third Man......The.Cuckoo Clock") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cydkTy6GmFA) ---
**Author:** ![Thing.Fish](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thing.fish/32/9168_2.png) [@Thing.Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing.Fish)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2023, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-the-swiss-think-of-the-concept-if-you-are-neutral-in-the-face-of-oppression-you-have-sided-with-the-oppressor/984586/18 "2023-05-26T01:14:35Z")
IIRC Switzerland is the only country whose borders haven’t changed since being established by the 1815 Treaty of Vienna. I can’t blame them for staying out of WW2, trying to fight Germany would have been suicidal. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2023, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-the-swiss-think-of-the-concept-if-you-are-neutral-in-the-face-of-oppression-you-have-sided-with-the-oppressor/984586/19 "2023-05-26T01:33:44Z")
After the fall of Napoleon, the victorious powers sort of demanded neutrality as a condition of restoring Switzerland’s independence. Before 1815, Switzerland’s biggest export was mercenary soldiers. The allies knew that, without a common enemy, their alliance would fracture, and they didn’t want their rivals recruiting Swiss soldiers. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2023, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-the-swiss-think-of-the-concept-if-you-are-neutral-in-the-face-of-oppression-you-have-sided-with-the-oppressor/984586/20 "2023-05-26T06:19:59Z")
> [@mbh](#): > > Before 1815, Switzerland’s biggest export was mercenary soldiers. It is not the biggest, but it’s still _an_ export. [![](https://www.eda.admin.ch/content/dam/eda/img/Aktuell/news/2020/12/201211_schweizergarde_keystone_1920x960.jpg) ](https://www.eda.admin.ch/content/dam/eda/img/Aktuell/news/2020/12/201211_schweizergarde_keystone_1920x960.jpg) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-the-swiss-think-of-the-concept-if-you-are-neutral-in-the-face-of-oppression-you-have-sided-with-the-oppressor/984586.md?page=2)