Colonialism. What do we think of it ?

[Gaztelu]

I know what response I'd receive. Can anyone really explain though why exactly a country based on regional strains of the French, German and Italian ethnicities actually still exists?

It is simply because the Swiss, whether they are Francophones, Alemannics, or Italians, are proud citizens of the Swiss Confederation and have no interest in becoming French, German, or Italian.

[Joe McCarthy]

The Swiss nation, like others, was forged in war. From the formative conflicts with the Habsburgs in the 14th century, to the Swabian War in 1499, to the lore around William Tell... such things are not cast aside so easily.

[Gaztelu]

The Swiss nation, like others, was forged in war. From the formative conflicts with the Habsburgs in the 14th century, to the Swabian War in 1499, to the lore around William Tell... such things are not cast aside so easily.

Exactly.

[European Loyalist]

It is simply because the Swiss, whether they are Francophones, Alemannics, or Italians, are proud citizens of the Swiss Confederation and have no interest in becoming French, German, or Italian.

But they are not a bilingual or trilingual nation, they are a trilingual country/state. They each have their separate regions languages and cultures. I had a Swiss German friend who made this perfectly clear to me. The concept of multiculturalism as we have in Canada was completely foreign to him (multiple cultures and languages within one supposed "nation").

[Albion]

It is simply because the Swiss, whether they are Francophones, Alemannics, or Italians, are proud citizens of the Swiss Confederation and have no interest in becoming French, German, or Italian.

I know they have no interest in it, but it doesn't mean I agree with them. Theirs is still a nation-less state.

[Albion]

He would probably get his gob smacked..

Yeah, the truth hurts... even if it is me.

The Swiss when I arrive...





Or when you start banging on about the Greater Netherlands:

The Walloons*:

(How many of them think they're Dutch anyway?)

Indonesians...

"Get Out Civis!"

Surinamese....



You argue that the Walloons are Dutch who forgot when they speak a different language. I argue that the Swiss are French, Italians and Germans who are just lying. No double standards please, we must be as coherent as possible lest we risk becoming hypocrites.

If we avoided telling people things they don't want to hear then just what would we discuss?

[The Lawspeaker]

Yeah, the truth hurts... even if it is me.

The Swiss when I arrive...





Or when you start banging on about the Greater Netherlands:

The Walloons*:

(How many of them think they're Dutch anyway?)

Indonesians...

"Get Out Civis!"

Surinamese....



You argue that the Walloons are Dutch who forgot when they speak a different language. I argue that the Swiss are French, Italians and Germans who are just lying. No double standards please, we must be as coherent as possible lest we risk becoming hypocrites.

If we avoided telling people things they don't want to hear then just what would we discuss?

The thing is that the Northern Netherlands and the Southern Netherlands have historically be one single nation. Not so for Switzerland and Germany. Or Switzerland and France. Switzerland and Italy.

[Damião de Góis]

It's kind of amazing that a tiny country with little population like ours to have expand like we did, but i don't approve of slavery and that was very present in our empire unfortunately... but i guess it was a normal phenomenon back then and not exclusive to us.

Our ties are perhaps bigger with Brazil than Africa or other places like Macau or East Timor. A bigger economic relationship with our former colonies would only be beneficial to us.

[Albion]

The thing is that the Northern Netherlands and the Southern Netherlands have historically be one single nation. Not so for Switzerland and Germany. Or Switzerland and France. Switzerland and Italy.

I don't think it is a good idea to have multi-ethnic states. The Walloons still aren't Dutch whether they've been with you for a long time or not.
The Welsh have been with England for over 500 years and yet they're no Englishmen. The Cornish even longer, although they've largely merged with the rest of the SW English population.

[The Lawspeaker]

I don't think it is a good idea to have multi-ethnic states. The Walloons still aren't Dutch whether they've been with you for a long time or not.
The Welsh have been with England for over 500 years and yet they're no Englishmen. The Cornish even longer, although they've largely merged with the rest of the SW English population.

But they are Netherlandic. A Diets people like the Flemish, the Low Saxons, the Dutch of the West, the Limburgics and the Frisians.