The history of the Switzerland referendum and the initiative

Abstract

Introduction: Switzerland, not having any royal power, possessed no central legislature. As democracy developed within her boundaries, popular voting upon laws, known as the referendum, sprang into use. The name referendum is not new, being applied to a practice that existed before the birth of democracy in Switzerland. The first real referendum system used by the Swiss was very dissimilar to the modern institution. The former came from the nature of the federal conditions, while the latter is based upon the conception of popular sovereignty. Although having little connection with each other, they both originally grew from the same cause—the lack of a representative system. The delegates to the Diet of the Confederation, from the several states, were never given power to make final settlement of matters of importance, but were simply instructed to hear what was proposed and then to report. Conditions were similar in the Grisons. The Grisons, although strictly not a part of the Confederation was closely associated with it, being a confederation of three separate leagues, each of which was composed of districts. These districts were the political units, and their actions were taken in mass meetings of all the Citizens. Each league contained a council, and for all three there existed a diet, but all of their decisions upon important matters had to be submitted to the districts for approval. The referendum grew gradually, until it was extended to foreign as well as domestic affairs. This system of referendum, though poorly organized, lasted with modifications until 1854, when it was replaced by the modern referendum.