Customs chaos in Switzerland lasted 1848

Switzerland sees herself as a model student of free trade. Inside, however, it looked different 200 years ago. There was a real customs chaos.

Donald Trump loves tariffs. The US President even describes her as his favorite word. And the Republican has to follow this. After he could hardly implement his trading policy beliefs during the first term, he has a great feast against global free trade.

Even small Switzerland should not miss the customs hammer. When Trump held its customs board in the Rosengarten of the White House in early April-« Switzerland: 31 Percent » stood there-the local economic diplomacy was shocked.

Finance Minister Karin Keller-Sutter was « disappointed » by the « stencil-like » calculation formula. The US tariffs, which Trump has now postponed, are fundamentally contradicting Swiss economic policy, says Keller-Sutter: «The Federal Council represents a trade order that does not want to barriers. We stand for free trade. »

That wasn’t always the case. The Confederation was already one of the most open economies in the world in the 19th century. Because of the geographical location, the long tradition of trade and the lack of raw materials, this was essential for survival. Inside, however, it looked different. There was a real tunnel of customs that you can hardly imagine today.

Federation was to blame. When the 24 cantons of Napoleon collapsed into a confederation of states in 1815, the idea of ​​a common internal market found no majority. The cantons kept a far -reaching scope on economic issues. They themselves were able to raise new tariffs and conclude trade contracts.

Customs were an important source of income

In addition to a modest federal border tariff, which in the war treasury of the newly formed state of the states, the cantons moved in countless import, exporting and carrying tariffs. In addition, there were path and bridge money, which were also raised by communities, corporations or private. There was no coordination.

These tariffs were comparatively low, and the cantons – unlike Donald Trump today – were not a trade policy. Rather, they financed their state budget through these income. Nevertheless, the trade barriers showed far -reaching consequences, as should become increasingly clearer in the following years.

Zellweger found little hearing. In the following years, various attempts failed to reduce the cantonal trade barriers. The cantons vehemently opposed because they did not want to do without their source of income. Zollrevisor Zellweger returned from his office in 1833.

The starting point only changed with the victory of the liberal forces that built the modern state in 1848. Now the path was clear to end the interior Swiss customs chaos. However, the state had to buy the internal market expensive. In order to dissuade the cantons from its customs regime and to centralize the customs system, the federal government had to compensate it fully. The earlier customs revenues even exceeded the transfer fees.

The long way to free trade

The men of the modern state knew how to use their new skills. The Federal Council – at that time it consisted of seven free -sensitive men – gave the free trade new impulses by concluding free trade contracts, uniforming postal system or introducing the Franconia as a unit currency. The expansion of the railway was also crucial for the integration.

However, Switzerland sometimes struggled to join the free trade order. The federal government had ended the customs chaos and pulled the competence. However, since the tariffs at the national borders were still deep and only served tax purposes, Switzerland was able to offer their trading partners hardly any deeper tariffs in contract negotiations.

This became a problem in the 1880s. When the neighboring countries were increasingly sealing off, Switzerland also passed a « fighting policy ». It increased the tariffs and only lowered it when the opposite side made concessions. The federal government initially introduced actual agricultural protection tariffs in 1921, and also because of the global economic crisis and the Second World War, free trade, which Switzerland actually favored, had a difficult time.

Ultimately, common sense of everyone

After 1945, the tariffs gradually lost importance as a source of income. Switzerland joined various organizations that drove global free trade. Most recently, in early 2024 she completely abolished the industrial tariffs « to make trade relationships more efficient and strengthen the competition ».

Donald Trump now attacks this principle head -on. The US President does not believe in a “common sense” on customs issues that the Appenzeller Zollrevisor demanded 200 years ago. Trump would do well to follow the Council of Johann Caspar Zellweger. With a view to the Swiss Customs confusion, this stated: « Not teaching us the story that in all states only too often the members of them forgive that their prosperity is based on the whole? » This still applies today – for the whole global economy.