Swiss Federalism: Problems of Interdependence and the Role of the Cantons

Abstract

In this paper the position of federalism in Switzerland is discussed and the restrictions of cantonal autonomy are demonstrated. There are a number of different kinds of difficulties involved in doing this. Owing to a strong socioeconomic interdependence across regions and the related interlocking of policymaking it is especially difficult to reach an allocation of tasks which allows for autonomous actions by the cantons. Institutional reforms are possible, mainly in fiscal federalism, but some scale problems cannot be solved.