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social policies after World War II: the first a Golden Age during which a
series of types of insurance were launched (1946–1975) and a second
period when social security was consolidated and expanded (1976–1999)
(Bertozzi et al. 2008 ; Obinger 1998 ). While this later period of consoli-
dation was a move away from the liberal to the conservative welfare
model, the shift partly accounts for the lack of consensus when classifying
the Swiss Welfare State.
The historical development of the Swiss Welfare State leads to a com-
plex social system both at the federal and cantonal levels. There is a strong
federal twist, with cantons acting in many domains as sovereign states.
This includes family policies, which are considered for the most part to
be outside the responsibility of the federal state (cf. the principle of sub-
sidiarity). But overall family policies are quite poorly developed, the fam-
ily mostly being seen as a private matter. For instance, when pursuing a
paid activity, women are entitled to 14 weeks’ maternity leave (earning
80% of their average income), while there is no generalised paternity
leave (only one free day) or parental leave. Part-time employment in the
labour market is the most common pattern after childbearing for women
(Levy and Widmer 2013 ), making for considerable gender inequalities in
family and work and a predominant one-and-a half earner model rather
than the full-time dual-earner model which exists both in Portugal and
Lithuania.
Finally, we must bear in mind that Switzerland is ranked amongst the
wealthiest countries in the world. Additionally, Switzerland is a very
diverse country which harbours three major language communities
(French, German, and Italian), with different cultures, and hosts a large
number of migrants from all over the world. This is in sharp contrast to
Portugal and Lithuania, which are poorer and more homogeneous. In
recent years, high standards of living in Switzerland have also been sus-
tained by a stream of channelled immigration. On the other hand, politi-
cal and institutional stability has been a cornerstone of Switzerland over
the last century: despite being surrounded by powerful and often con-
flicting neighbouring nations, it remained neutral in all wars. It also did
not experience any sort of authoritarian political rule in the last century.
Some distancing from neighbouring countries and a strong sense of self-
reliance remained in peaceful times, as membership of the EU was
V. Ramos et al.