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I haven't read all the comments, but who thinks Switzerland is "perfect"? I have never heard such a thing, and I've been there a number of times. I like it, but hardly my favorite country.
Switzerland has gained the reputation for being nearly perfect because a) it's orderly (though some may see this as a negative--anything can be taken to an extreme), b) economically it's doing well, c) it's breathtakingly beautiful d) the system works for the people who live there (pensions, safety net, healthcare/insurance, low taxes). The trains run on time, what can one say?
Inequality? Is there an underclass?
Last edited by Ruth4Truth; 11-19-2014 at 07:19 PM..
Having a direct democracy and a high standard of living are other positives.
This is an interesting statement, in view of the fact that women only gained the vote in the 1970's, generally, and the last canton to grant the vote didn't do so until the 1990's. Women weren't included in the democracy until relatively recently.
Never been to Switzerland, but it reminds me of Norway in some ways. Strong resistance against the EU, rich country, everything is insanely expensive, high living standards, very little poverty, high mountains and deep valleys. Way more densely populated than Norway though.
No, no real underclass. But it's very unequal for Western European standards. No minimum wage, differing wages based on nationality (something I've never heard outside of places like Dubai), longer work hours and less vacation than almost anywhere in Western Europe.
The differing wages thing is especially weird. There are huge numbers of German, Italian and French residents who come into Switzerland for work every day, and they are paid less based on their citizenship.
But it's also true that Switzerland has many positives. Big salaries (but only big if used outside of Switzerland, everything within the country is 2x that of Western Europe and 3x that of North America), low unemployment, gorgeous countryside, and fantastic (but again, crazy expensive) public transportation and roadways.
Also, I noticed lots of hot women in Geneva, always an advantage.
Switzerland is expensive, even for the Swiss. A friend of mine who works as a nurse, normally a well-paying job, at least in the US, struggled to be able to afford a trip to Geneva for a holiday weekend. She rarely can afford to travel around the country. She saves her money for one foreign vacation/year, and that's her big treat. Seems a little sparse for a nurse.
Easiest solution is to simply vacation outside Switzerland, where your Francs mine as well be King Midas' gold.
Switzerland is the most Americanized European country with the exception of being very expensive place.. Try buying something - rip off!
Is it more expensive than Norway? Cause I was there the summer 2014 and it was insanely expensive, just for example, 50 cl of beer costs like 3 or 4 euro (if its the lighter one bought in normal stores that is). All other food and drink as well, insanely expensive. Those Norwegians who lives near the border rather prefers shopping in Sweden instead, so much that there is 2 enormous shopping malls near the Norwegian border, one in Strömstad and one in Charlottenberg, in close promixity to densely populated areas of Norway.
The shopping mall right next to the Norwegian border in Strömstad is the biggest and highest grossing shopping mall in entire Sweden, only thanks to Norwegian bordershopping and in particular the close proximity to Oslo. It makes the shopping malls in Stockholm weak in comparison, even though its located in a very small town where it lives less than 10,000. Even small grocery stores located near the Norwegian border, are among the highest grossing grocery stores in entire Sweden. Even in Finland there is successful grocery stores located near the Norwegian border even if its very sparsely populated up there.
All this being said, Sweden is a fairly expensivecountry compared to the rest of Europe, but compared to Norway its actually a very cheap. They spend literally billions of kroner here every year (last year it was 16 billion) only thanks to that most things are so expensive in Norway. That should really tell something about how expensive it is over there. By comparison, Danes and Finns shops very little in Sweden.
Is Switzerland really that expensive, compared to Scandinavian countries and in particular Norway?
Last edited by Helsingborgaren; 11-19-2014 at 08:56 PM..
Easiest solution is to simply vacation outside Switzerland, where your Francs mine as well be King Midas' gold.
Such a solution shouldn't be necessary for someone on a nurse's salary, though. To not even be able to afford a 3-day weekend inside the country? Train + lodging? I would expect that of someone working as a secretary or other office staff, but in the US, nurses are paid quite decently, especially after they have about 10 years' experience.
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