Switzerland is …
Die Schweiz ist …
Correct answer: C
- A a dictatorship.eine Diktatur.
- B an absolutist state.ein absolutistischer Staat.
- C a democracy.eine Demokratie.
- D a principality.ein Fürstentum.
Why
In Switzerland the people have the power: they elect Parliament and vote on issues. That is a democracy.
Common mistakes
- D: a principality.
- A principality has a prince as head of state. Switzerland has no prince, but its neighbour Liechtenstein is a principality.
- B: an absolutist state.
- In an absolutist state, one ruler has all the power. In Switzerland, power is divided between the people and the authorities.
Topic
Switzerland is a democracy. The word comes from Greek and means «rule of the people». In a democracy, power is not held by a king, a prince or a dictator. Power lies with the people. The opposite is, for example, a dictatorship, a principality or an absolutist state. There a single person or a small group decides, and the people have no say.
How the state works
Democracy and the rule of law
Sources
Last checked: September 2026
Question 21 of the official question list of the Canton of Zurich (Gemeindeamt, May 2025). Translation and explanation: Swiss Passport.