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In this section, we showcase media reports on Progress Foundation events or publications, along with contributions from our Board members.
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A Bumpy Road to the Federal State

The founding of the Swiss Confederation was a bumpy process - not only politically, but also practically, as the chaotic journey of the first parliamentarians shows. The book "Struggle for Freedom" sheds light on the history of Swiss liberalism and its continuing challenges.
In the media

Tectonic Upheaval

At the dawn of 2025, the world casts its watchful gaze upon America, for the new – yet familiar – president remains a figure to whom many struggle to acclimate. How much will Trump actually be able to realise this time around?
Speaking of

Lazy Freedom

Laziness is a state of freedom, says Austrian literary scholar Daniela Strigl. One can agree with that, but only if one's own laziness is not at the expense of hard-working third parties.
Speaking of

Liberals Should Have the Courage to Be Unfashionable

Freedom and responsibility have brought Switzerland success. But the foundations have become fragile. What might the liberalism of the 21st century look like?
Speaking of

“Even in Our Supposedly Secular Age, People are Busy Preaching in Politics.”

Oliver Zimmer, author of "Preachers of Truth", describes the historical and cultural impact of the Reformation on contemporary understandings of power, authority and truth.
In the media

“Urliberale Etatisten”- In Politics, Liberal Doesn’t Just Mean Liberal

The words that Loriot put into the mouth of one of his fictional characters in 1977 were almost prophetic: In the liberal sense, liberal doesn't just mean liberal. Today, with a little imagination, almost anything can be apostrophized as liberal.
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Mohrenkopf And Meitlibei

The language police are cleaning up the confectionery shelves: a Basel bakery chain has turned the allegedly sexist "Meitlibei" into a harmless "good luck charm". This is reminiscent of the campaign against the Mohrenkopf. But is everyone who makes, eats or uses the word Mohrenkopf a violent racist?
Speaking of

Liberalism is an unreasonable demand

Liberalism demands a lot from people. Life in freedom is uncomfortable and exhausting, characterized by insecurity and inequality. Liberal society does not promise a land of milk and honey, but that is precisely why it is humane.
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Historiography should focus more on entrepreneurs and less on politicians

Our view of history is often distorted when it comes to the economy. On the one hand, the industrial revolution is often only perceived in terms of social misery. On the other hand, the importance of the economy and, above all, entrepreneurs is massively underestimated.
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Ten commandments of common sense

The "legendary" words of Abraham Lincoln about the strong and the weak and the dangers of debt were never spoken by him. They were not written until long after his assassination by a preacher of German descent. But they have retained their validity in their practical dimension.
Speaking of

Neoliberalism? Hardly. We’re actually living in an era of neo-mercantilism

For almost all economic, many social and even some health problems of our time, an astonishing number of contemporaries only know one scapegoat. The blame lies with "evil neoliberalism". But what about the characteristics attributed to it, deregulation, austerity, social cuts and global competition? A fact check.
Speaking of

Fortunately, different characters and talents cannot be leveled out

Equality from the start is a great liberal good. However, if children are transferred from family to collective care too early due to a fixation on equality, this damages a pillar of liberal society.
Speaking of
In the media

Understanding Switzerland

Background information about a small country
In the media

The state and I

What is a good democracy? When does it threaten to erode and what happens after the framework agreement? Historian Oliver Zimmer and journalist Beat Kappeler discussed these questions in public in Zurich.
In the media

The Somm Show with Gerhard Schwarz

NZZ, Avenir Suisse, Buchautor und streitbarer Geist
In the media

Pensionskassen-Versicherte haben kaum Einfluss

Zwischen Aktiengesellschaften und Pensionskassen gibt es Ähnlichkeiten. Doch während Aktionäre mit den Füssen abstimmen können, ist dies für Pensionskassen-Versicherte kaum möglich.
Speaking of

Savers threatened with creeping expropriation

How investors can protect themselves from losses due to negative interest rates and inflation in times of high debt
In the media