James Schwarzenbach
Encyclopedia
James Schwarzenbach was a far-right Swiss politician, in the 1970s head of the short-lived Republican Party of Switzerland and publicist of fascist, völkisch and antisemitic literature, his Thomas-Verlag.
Schwarzenbach was member of the Swiss National Council representing the Nationale Aktion in the legislature 1967-1971. Schwarzenbach's Republican Party originated as a split of the Nationale Aktion in 1971, with which it merged once again in 1990, into the Swiss Democrats
.
Buomberger (2004) characterizes Schwarzenbach's ideology as racist, nationalist, xenophobic and given to antisemitic and anti-communist conspiracy theories, and he emphasizes Schwarzenbach's role as pioneer in European radical right-wing populism which outside of Switzerland grew to notability only in the 1980s with parties such as the French Front National.
Schwarzenbach is chiefly known for his initiative
on ("excess of foreigners") that was put to the vote in 1970. The referendum had a record turnout (75%), with 45% of the votes supporting Schwarzenbach's proposal. The proposal, if accepted, would have meant that the Swiss government had to limit foreign workers to Switzerland to 10%, which then would mean the deportation of up to 300,000 foreigners over 4 years.
Although not enacted, the referendum did cause the number of available work-permits to be lowered. Xenophobia in Switzerland at the time was chiefly directed against Italian migrant worker
s, whose number had increased from 300,000 to over 1 million during the economic surge after World War II between 1950 and 1970.
Xenophobia decreased in the later 1970s as with slackening economy nearly as many migrant workers as had been targeted by the Schwarzenbach initiative lost their jobs and left Switzerland, raising its head again in the mid 1990s, this time targeting "Ausländerkriminalität"("foreigner delinquency"), in particular fuelled by felonies committed by youths of Balkan
(Former Yugoslavia
n) origin. In this period, xenophopic sentiment was addressed by populist propaganda of the Swiss People's Party (SVP), with Schwarzenbach's erstwhile secretary Ulrich Schlüer
pursuing his former employer's politics within the ranks of the SVP.
In his later years, Schwarzenbach also voiced opposition against the EFTA
, or the EU common market, as well as international institutions like the UN.
Schwarzenbach was member of the Swiss National Council representing the Nationale Aktion in the legislature 1967-1971. Schwarzenbach's Republican Party originated as a split of the Nationale Aktion in 1971, with which it merged once again in 1990, into the Swiss Democrats
Swiss Democrats
The Swiss Democrats are a right-wing political party in Switzerland.The party is not represented in the Federal Assembly, but has two members of the Grand Council of Aargau....
.
Buomberger (2004) characterizes Schwarzenbach's ideology as racist, nationalist, xenophobic and given to antisemitic and anti-communist conspiracy theories, and he emphasizes Schwarzenbach's role as pioneer in European radical right-wing populism which outside of Switzerland grew to notability only in the 1980s with parties such as the French Front National.
Schwarzenbach is chiefly known for his initiative
Initiative
In political science, an initiative is a means by which a petition signed by a certain minimum number of registered voters can force a public vote...
on ("excess of foreigners") that was put to the vote in 1970. The referendum had a record turnout (75%), with 45% of the votes supporting Schwarzenbach's proposal. The proposal, if accepted, would have meant that the Swiss government had to limit foreign workers to Switzerland to 10%, which then would mean the deportation of up to 300,000 foreigners over 4 years.
Although not enacted, the referendum did cause the number of available work-permits to be lowered. Xenophobia in Switzerland at the time was chiefly directed against Italian migrant worker
Migrant worker
The term migrant worker has different official meanings and connotations in different parts of the world. The United Nations' definition is broad, including any people working outside of their home country...
s, whose number had increased from 300,000 to over 1 million during the economic surge after World War II between 1950 and 1970.
Xenophobia decreased in the later 1970s as with slackening economy nearly as many migrant workers as had been targeted by the Schwarzenbach initiative lost their jobs and left Switzerland, raising its head again in the mid 1990s, this time targeting "Ausländerkriminalität"("foreigner delinquency"), in particular fuelled by felonies committed by youths of Balkan
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
(Former Yugoslavia
Former Yugoslavia
The former Yugoslavia is a term used to describe the present day states which succeeded the collapse of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia....
n) origin. In this period, xenophopic sentiment was addressed by populist propaganda of the Swiss People's Party (SVP), with Schwarzenbach's erstwhile secretary Ulrich Schlüer
Ulrich Schlüer
Ulrich Schlüer is a right wing Swiss politician, member of the Swiss People's Party of the canton of Zürich. Schlüer studied History and German language at the University of Zürich, receiving a PhD in 1978...
pursuing his former employer's politics within the ranks of the SVP.
In his later years, Schwarzenbach also voiced opposition against the EFTA
EFTA
EFTA may refer to:* European Family Therapy Association, an NGO.* European Fair Trade Association, an association of eleven Fair Trade importers in nine European countries....
, or the EU common market, as well as international institutions like the UN.
Literature
- Drews, Isabel, Schweizer erwache!" : der Rechtspopulist James Schwarzenbach (1967 - 1978), Studien zur Zeitgeschichte 7 (2005), ISBN 3-7193-1380-8 .
- Buomberger, Thomas, Kampf gegen unerwünschte Fremde : von James Schwarzenbach bis Christoph Blocher, Orell Füssli (2004), ISBN 3-280-06017-6.