Within 24 to 48 hours Switzerland can mobilize a very large army, even by European standards.
“The key to freedom is to be able to have the ability to defend yourself, if you dont have the tools to do that, then you’re going to be at the mercy of whomever wants to put you away.”
The country has a population of six million, but there are estimated to be at least two million publicly-owned firearms, including about 600,000 automatic rifles and 500,000 pistols. This is in a large part due to Switzerland’s unique system of national defense, developed over the centuries.
Instead of a standing, full-time army, the country requires every man to undergo some form of military training for a few days or weeks each year throughout most of their lives. Between the ages of 21 and 32 men serve as frontline troops. They are given an M-57 assault rifle and 24 rounds of ammunition which they are required to keep at home.
Once discharged, men serve in the Swiss equivalent of the US National Guard, but still have to train occasionally and are given bolt action rifles. Women do not have to own firearms, but are encouraged to do so.
In addition to a ‘Well Trained Militia,’ in 2010 voters approved a new deportation law. This law, proposed by the Swiss People’s Party, called for the automatic expulsion of non-Swiss offenders convicted of a number of crimes, including murder, breaking and entry and even welfare fraud. As the proposal makes deportation mandatory, it denies judges any judicial discretion over deportation.
According to Wikipedia, in 2014, there were a total of 41 murders in Switzerland with a murder rate of 0.49 per 100,000 population, the lowest raw figure and lowest rate for 33 years, since the start of the nationwide coordinated collection of statistical data, despite a strong growth of inhabitants (from 6.4 million to 8.1 million, +27%) over the same period.
Honduras and Venezuela top the list of the most crime-ridden countries in the world despite (or because of) stringent gun-controls denying citizens the ability to protect themselves. In both countries public protest has prompted the government to reconsider gun-control laws.
VIDEO: Why Switzerland Has The Lowest Crime Rate In The World
sources: Wikipedia, “Polizeiliche Kriminalstatistik (PKS) – Jahresbericht 2014”, Swiss Federal Statistical Office; Konferenz der kantonalen Justiz- und Polizeidirektoren, Youtube
