Switzerland’s success story is unparalleled. The country has some of the most disciplined, productive and polite citizens. The Swiss government is among the most transparent governments in the world. Switzerland also boasts a highly competitive economy and some of the leading scientific institutions in the world. As for the quality of life and happiness index of its people, Switzerland consistently ranks in the top bracket, together with Scandinavian countries. But Switzerland’s path to success was not always clear. After all, the Swiss people speak three languages (French, German and Italian); they follow different religious denominations (Protestant and Catholic), and have very few natural resources. Most of the country’s land is divided because of the giant Alps. Furthermore, Switzerland has fought several civil wars, the most recent one of which took place in 1847, when the situation was so bad that Germany, Austria and France made plans to divide the country’s territory among themselves. So where did all this success come from? Much of it can be ascribed to General Guillaume Henri Dufour, a talented Swiss commander who urged his countrymen to lay their weapons down and work toward peace. Dufour urged the Swiss people to rally around their flag and come together as one people. This acclaimed leader was able to end the war through negotiations that lasted 26 days. He provided care for wounded enemy soldiers and amnesty for the rebels, which impressed them and pushed them to reunify Switzerland. The writer Michael Porter says that Switzerland was a poor country in the 19th century, and its most important export was immigrants. At the beginning of the 20th century, thanks to its leadership, it emerged as an industrialized state that was able to avoid the two world wars and their devastating impact. When we compare what Switzerland was in the 19th century and what some Arab countries are going through today — including Lebanon, Yemen, Libya, Syria and Iraq — we find that these countries are in a better position to become successful states that experience growth and high quality of life, provided that they are led by a wise and conscious leadership. This leadership must believe that the homeland is above all other considerations, whether sectarian, partisan or familial. Some may argue that the comparison is unfair and that the reason for Switzerland’s progress is its presence in Europe. But take another example of Rwanda, one of the poorest countries in Africa. Twenty-five years ago, it was subjected to a war of extermination that killed about 800,000 people, most of them from the Tutsi tribe. Today it is considered one of the most developed African countries in terms of stability and growth. This change came under the leadership of President Paul Kagame, who united the people on the basis of their national identity rather than their sectarian loyalties. Leadership is what makes the difference. If we look at the countries that have suffered from backwardness and civil wars, we find that they all suffered from incompetent leaders who spread corruption and silenced all opposition, bringing about poverty and disintegration, accompanied by devastating civil wars. Some Arab countries are going through difficult and unstable situations. All that is needed by these countries is a courageous, strong and sincere leadership that eliminates sectarianism and ends foreign interference. When Arab leaders choose to do so, maybe we’ll see a Switzerland emerge in the Middle East. –Abdullah Al-Saadoun (translated by Asaf Zilberfarb)
This holiday season, give to:
Truth and understanding
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