Investigating 10 myths about Switzerland

After more than a decade as a journalist in Switzerland, Clare O’Dea explains what motivated her to write a new book on the country, The Naked Swiss: A Nation Behind 10 Myths.  There has always been a touch of one-upmanship between nationalities, especially in Europe. When the British say the Swiss are boring, the implication is that the Brits are the fun guys. Casting the Swiss as the nation that has become rich on ill-gotten gains draws attention away from the dubious sources of wealth of the former colonial powers. When the French accuse the Swiss of xenophobia, are we to conclude that immigrants in France have a happy time of it? The criticism is more than just friendly banter, it has an edge of scorn, and also serves to lessen the achievements of the Swiss.  What achievements am I talking about? It starts with the individual. Not only do the Swiss enjoy the highest average wealth per adult at US $567,100 (according to the most recent Credit Suisse ...