Swiss neutrality is a means to an end, not an end in itself

Neutrality has never been subject to a corseted definition. Its entire history demonstrates this. It depends on the goodwill of the other powers, and only makes sense if it is understood in the context of the moment.

The story is well known. At the Congress of Vienna in 1815, which was responsible for settling the accounts of Napoleon's empire, whose leader had been exiled to Elba and then St. Helena, Switzerland was finally recognized as an internationally independent state and granted neutral status. In a way, this status became the cornerstone of a Switzerland that would from then on try to build up a position of strength on this basis. At least, that's the official version of the story. Without being false, it nonetheless conceals various elements rich in varied interpretations of what this Helvetic neutrality, so often elevated to the rank of dogma, ultimately means i