Swiss Democracy

'The real value of the book lies in its critical dissection of features of Swiss democracy that are frequently praised in theory but rarely assessed in practice. Linder shows that behind its apparent populist democracy lurks the power of interest groups. So he makes a contribution to thought about democracy which could have significant lessons for countries seeking to be democratic.' - G.W. Jones, Professor of Government, London School of Economics, University of London, UK

'Linder is not the first author trying to explain the Swiss system to foreigners. But he uniquely combines three features: a sound and comprehensive scientific bse, the personal competence of combining theoretical knowledge with the insights of practical political life, and the ability to ask critical questions on the way Swiss institutions work.' - Rene Levy, Professor of Sociology, University of Lausanne, Switzerland

'Wolf Linder's Swiss Democracy blends theoretical analysis with descriptive facility so as to present a vivid portrait of what is distinctive about the Swiss political system. It poses original questions which students are encouraged to ponder in comparative perspective to other systems.' - Arnold J. Heidenheimer, Professor of Political Science, Washington University, USA