Routledge Revival: Swiss Neutrality (1946): Its History and Meaning (Routledge Revivals)

Up to a generation ago, the Swiss citizen lived with a feeling of security in foreign relations which we can hardly credit today. Neutrality has come to be taken so much for granted as the fundamental principle of the Federal constitution, and had been so generally recognized in Europe, that it seemed unthreatened and even inviolable. It blended with the republican and democratic ideal to form a national myth of almost religious sanctity. As the axiom of Swiss foreign policy, it had certainly suffered attack both in theory and in fact, but since such crises had always been successfully overcome, Switzerland’s faith in the inviolability of her neutrality had merely been confirmed. It was as if the country were girdled with high, protecting ramparts, behind which its people could go about their lawful occasions unmolested. It was in this period of calm in Switzerland’s foreign relations that international law assiduously sought a formula for the theory of neutrality. About the Author In 1935,  Edgar Bonjour was appointed Full Professor of Swiss history and modern general history of the University of Basel. In 1946 he became rector of this university and held this position until his retirement in 1968 and even after that – in 1980 he was back to the lectures. Bonjour also read his lectures at the Adult high school and the University for Seniors, which were attended by many people. Bonjour worked till the last days of his life: his last lecture was held two weeks before his death in 1991.