Subtitled, "Continuity And Change In A Consensus Democracy". Reveals the richness and history of its institutions.

Hanspeter Kriesi is Professor for Comparative Politics in the Department of Political Science at the University of Zurich.

1. The development of the modern Swiss nation-state; 2. Neutrality; 3. Federalism; 4. Direct democracy; 5. The Swiss system of government; 6. The party system; 7. Interest associations and labour relations; 8. The decision-making process; 9. Economic policy: liberalization under constraints; 10. Social policy: the Swiss welfare state; 11. Foreign policy: Switzerland and the EU.