Mass Immigration, the
Growth Imperative and the Creative Metropolis
In Switzerland, votes can quickly turn into a political thriller accessible
to the public. Here, the people as the ultimate sovereign has the right (which
is rather exceptional compared to other countries) to say “stop, not like
this!” in a vote, notwithstanding the recommendations of its government, of
wealthy interest groups or expert warnings. This was the case with the recent initiative
against mass immigration launched by the SVP that has won with a narrow
majority of votes.
The reactions to this result produced quite predictable waves of
indignation, hyperbole and panic (while the winners’ joy was a bit muffled):
Switzerland at the economic abyss, an isolated island of happy xenophobes, a
nation of spoiled farmers who tore open the “Röstigraben” and slapped the EU.
Is this outcry justified?
