Old Switzerland endured through oligarchic unity against peasant rebellion

Evidence

‘Old Switzerland,’ the area of which did not change between 1515 and 1803, and most of whose inhabitants spoke one or other of numerous German patois, was ruled by a loose coalition of cantonal aristocratic oligarchies. ‘The secret of the long duration of the Confederacy was its double nature. Against outside enemies it produced a sufficient unity of peoples. Against internal rebellion, it produced a sufficient unity of oligarchies. If peasants rebelled, as they did three times or so in every century, then differences would be put aside and the governments of other cantons would lend their assistance, mediating often, but not always, in favour of their fellow-ruler.’ — Benedict Anderson, Imagined Communities, 482

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Multilingual Switzerland is a product of the early nineteenth century — Benedict Anderson, Imagined Communities: Reflections on…, 481; Peasant resistance to conscription catalyzed a new regime of state control — Khaled Fahmy, All the Pasha_s Men_ Mehmed Ali, his…, 490

Related

• Multilingual Switzerland is a product of the early nineteenth century (similarity 0.81)

Broader Connections

• Peasant resistance to conscription catalyzed a new regime of state control #complicates (0.75) — Khaled Fahmy, All the Pasha_s Men_ Mehmed Ali, his…, 490