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→Switzerland: Spelling, grammar, and general cleanup, typos fixed: world’s → world's
==Switzerland==
==Switzerland==
Since 1815 Switzerland has conspicuously distanced itself from the international community. It remained neutral in all wars. It has rejected membership in the UN and participation in the European Economic Area treaty and UN peacekeeping operations; and it remains outside the European Union. It remains one of the world’s major banking centers, and serves as the neutral host of many international agencies and meetings.
Since 1815 Switzerland has conspicuously distanced itself from the international community. It remained neutral in all wars. It has rejected membership in the UN and participation in the European Economic Area treaty and UN peacekeeping operations; and it remains outside the European Union. It remains one of the world's major banking centers, and serves as the neutral host of many international agencies and meetings.
This starkly isolationist posture is the product of Swiss direct democracy. Swiss voters have repeatedly voted on issues of international integration. In five of the six cases, they delivered a sharp rebuff to the international community and to their own government. One explanation focuses on the renewed linguistic cleavage between German speakers and French speakers. Also critical has been the desire to preserve a wide scope for Swiss direct democracy by rejecting binding international agreements. Finally, government campaign tactics have exacerbated popular opposition to international integration.<ref>Kris W. Kobach, "Spurn Thy Neighbour: Direct Democracy and Swiss Isolationism." ''West European Politics'' 1997 20(3): 185-211</ref>
This starkly isolationist posture is the product of Swiss direct democracy. Swiss voters have repeatedly voted on issues of international integration. In five of the six cases, they delivered a sharp rebuff to the international community and to their own government. One explanation focuses on the renewed linguistic cleavage between German speakers and French speakers. Also critical has been the desire to preserve a wide scope for Swiss direct democracy by rejecting binding international agreements. Finally, government campaign tactics have exacerbated popular opposition to international integration.<ref>Kris W. Kobach, "Spurn Thy Neighbour: Direct Democracy and Swiss Isolationism." ''West European Politics'' 1997 20(3): 185-211</ref>