One of my friends has the idea that die Schwitz controls 98% of the worlds wealth, does anyone have any thing to help me disprove him.

Define control.

98% is a lot...I doubt it.

Nox

Mansonite

I don�t have a clue where your friend picked it up, but I believe I know where it originates from.

Winston Churchill often spoke about, "the Gnomes of Zuerich controlling the finances of the world". But that doesn�t mean he believed so. He used it as rhetorics, and nothing else.

The laws in Switzerland (die Schweitz/Helvetia), allows the Swiss banks to be totally secretive about their customers and about the money they handle.

Switzerland has a rather weird position in Europe (and therefore in the world). They have stayed out of every war since (at least) the 18th century. But in the same time they have profited from the wars, and in some cases funded wars. For a long time, further back in history, they also had the best elite troops, available for hire. That�s the reason the Vatican have the famous Swiss Guards.

The country is located in the middle of Europe, and it�s a prosperous and modern country, and yet they stay out of the European Union for seemingly no reason at all. The reason is probably as simple as Norway�s reason; they don�t need to join and the peolpe don�t like the idea. But Switzerland still has some power in the EU, because of a lot of treaties and the wealth of the country.

A lot of European and global companies have their main offices in Switzerland. And the country is also the home of many international organisations, like the Red Cross, the Olympic Committe etc. who all have a lot of money. Many, if not secret so, secretive organisations of different (political) kinds also "hide" in Switzerland, and they have done so for hundreds of years.

All this and more has been used and abused in numerous conspiracy theories, "proving" Switzerlands power in Europe and in the world.

The Swiss Masons (not Mansons...) the Grand Loge Alpina, are often said to be the people Churchill refered to when he spoke about the Gnomes of Zuerich. The next step is, of course to say that the Grand Loge Alpina is the Secret World Government.

And now you�ll have to excuse me! I have to pack my bags, as Nox is about to move this to Conspiracy...

Ewige Blumenkraft! FoxLeonard

[This message has been edited by FoxLeonard (edited 11-01-2002).]

[This message has been edited by FoxLeonard (edited 11-01-2002).]

Simply argue that the wealth of Switzerland is nearly all fluid.

Real wealth is capital.

quote:

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Originally posted by FoxLeonard:
I have to pack my bags, as Nox is about to move this to Conspiracy...

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I moved it, but Conspiracy rejected it...It made too much sense.

Nox