Variable here too.

I'm still disturbed by this comment, TobiasM were you really serious with this?

I hope he's got broad shoulders in order to lug about that chip.

Of course I am serious, no chip on my shoulder either Loz, but it is quite well known and understood globally that Switzerlands economy has historically been buoyed up by its (soon not to be) secretive and discreet banking, assisting anyone no questions asked, that money certainly helped to build the Switzerland we live in today.

I am more disturbed by the fact youdon't understand that!

Daily necessities are VAT'ed at 2.5% here. Food, non-alcoholic drinks, print products including books, and drugs.

Ok, if you are saying that Switzerland DID help evade tax then of course yes you are correct, but you worded your post very badly grammatically. You said: "No assisting tax evasion from other countries helped Switzerland get to the wonderful society we can share in today.", which really reads like you were saying Switzerland did not do it. However, now I know what you meant.

of course it had nothing to do with switzerland also being neutral in world events, not having a huge expensive full time military poking its nose into everything and everywhere, having a population that works and doesn't have a bloated abused welfare system, or hugely expensive national health service etc etc etc

Or the fact switzerland has several companies that are bigger then ALL the swiss banks combined.

No, it got wealthy just because of banking secrecy! seriously do people think the banks take the deposits then go out and build roads etc with it, for free, for the good of the residents ????

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https://starkindustries.ch/
http://www.swissr2.ch/
http://www.tk16431.com/

Nonsense. Deductions are higher and the tax rate is lower. Only DINKS with a high income pay more.
You demonstrated the power of puncutation. Add a comma after the initial No.

More like it has been a neutral country thru 2 world wars and didn't get destroyed like the rest of Europe. After which it still had an industrial base to be productive while others had to first rebuild. An example that war, in principle (except for the military complex) does not pay and the philosophy to stand off to the side and be a good neighbor has been a good one.

The power of puncutation is a new one for me - thanks for improving my English

In the meantime, sometimes humour is the best way to say that the whole thing is indeed bonkers:

https://www.facebook.com/BBCLondonCa...4460180978581/

The reason Switzerland did not get involved because in addition to a dissolved military, they knew they were surrounded by defensible mountains and were overall a low priority target and threat. Plus, being neutrally minded, they were happy enough to sit back and let others do the dirty work. I don't think empassioned moralism has historically been Switzerland's strong point.

(Ok I am no historian but that's my general take on it).

If the UK/USA and France had not got involved and "stood aside like a good neighbour" the world would be a very different and much darker place.

Yeah, I am sorry about that, I missed a comma and my iPhone keeps reverting to the german keypad! I meant to say "no" to Loz at the start of the sentence!

I believe a lot of the neutrality arose from not wanting to tear apart Switzerland as with WWI, the French and German parts were eager to get involved supporting their linguistic sides! It's written in the Landesmuseum in case anyone doubts that

Have to disagree. There was never really any need for any country to participate in WW1 and in fact no need for it to even occur. Basically it started due to certain stupidities. As for WW2, it was basically buying time and CH did help the allies when feasable. Declaring war on DE would of meant disaster. At the same time Hitler knew that war with CH would not be so easy (too much pain with little gain) and already had enough going on east and west. So it was like little CH could wait for another day. However, my main point was basically that CH managed to survive both WWs and come out of it at an industrial and financial advantage to the rest of Europe.

Wealth management accounts for less than 3% of the Swiss GDP. Therefore CH hasn't been buoyed up by its "secretive and discreet banking".

According to Wiki (pinch of salt of course). in 2003 banking was 11.6% of the GDP. I realise I should have stated that historically the Swiss economy has been bouyed up by foreign investment and banking. Also according to Wiki Switzerland holds 28% of all Off shore funds. Or figuratively speaking around one third of all secreted away cash. ;-)

And Britain and its associated countries (Virgin Islands etc) holds the other two thirds?

That intact industrial base gave Switzerland an enormous advantage in post war years, and they could profit from the rebuilding that the rest of Europe was doing.

Which is exactly the topic of this thread, not Switzerland, but the U.K.

I'm going to be picky here and say that 28% is nearer a quarter than a third