THE
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Several foreign born students living in California have completed a study of their home country governments' economic policies as compared to the MIEPA list of policies as outlined above. The study on Switaerland is shown below. The ratings herein are based on the following rating scale:
RATING SCALE
5.0 Perfect Facilitation of Wealth Creation
4.0 Midway between Perfect and Neutral
3.0 Neutral Effect on Wealth Creation
2.0 Midway between Neutral and Obstructionist
1.0 Perfectly Obstructionist to Wealth Creation
[Rating scale copyright Mike P. McKeever, 1996. Used herein with permission]
To read a disclaimer about the analysis in this file, scroll to the bottom of the file.
SWITZERLAND:
Comparison of Switzerland's economic policies to MIEPA criteria as prepared
by native Swiss student Yann Schwarz studying in the US in the Fall of
2000.
RATING SUMMARY
POLICY NUMBER RAW SCORE ADJUSTED SCORE POSSIBLE PERCENTAGE
1 4.6 13.8 15.0 92%
2 4.6 13.8 15.0 92
3 4.7 14.1 15.0 94
4 5.0 15.0 15.0 100
5 4.8 14.4 15.0 96
6 4.7 14.1 15.0 94
7 5.0 15.0 15.0 100
8 4.8 14.4 15.0 96
9 4.5 13.5 15.0 90
10 4.9 14.7 15.0 98
11 4.8 14.4 15.0 96
12 4.7 14.1 15.0 94
13 2.0 4.0 10.0 40
14 4.5 9.0 10.0 90
15 5.0 10.0 10.0 100
16 4.8 9.6 10.0 96
17 4.0 8.0 10.0 80
18 5.0 10.0 10.0 100
19 4.0 8.0 10.0 80
20 4.0 8.0 10.0 80
21 5.0 10.0 10.0 100
22 5.0 10.0 10.0 100
23 5.0 10.0 10.0 100
24 5.0 10.0 10.0 100
25 5.0 10.0 10.0 100
26 4.0 8.0 10.0 80
27 4.0 8.0 10.0 80
28 5.0 10.0 10.0 100
29 4.8 4.8 5.0 96
30 5.0 5.0 5.0 100
31 5.0 5.0 5.0 100
32 4.0 4.0 5.0 80
33 4.5 4.5 5.0 90
34 3.8 3.8 5.0 76
TOTAL 155.5 344.8 375.0 91.9%
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Return to MIEPA's Home Page1. Freedom from internal control: 4.6
The Swiss government respects the constitutional rights and freedoms of its citizens. In cases of controversy, the courts are fair and give people a chance to contest and explain their discord. The Swiss are freely able to move about within their country, as well as abroad. If misunderstandings between citizens and foreign governments were to happen, the Swiss administration would attempt, with all possible means, to repatriate them. All Swiss citizens are equal and cannot be discriminated upon on the basis of gender, race, political orientation, ethnic background, religion, or age. People also have the complete freedom to participate in any activity they desire, as long as it doesn’t interfere with the law.
Sources: -CONFOEDERATIO HELVETICA, The Federal Authorities of the Swiss Confederation, www.admin.ch, 12/10/00. -Personal information.
2. Freedom of speech: 4.6
Article 10 of the Swiss constitution covers freedom of speech. It says that all people have the right to freely express themselves. This includes freedom of opinion and the freedom to receive or communicate information or ideas without government intervention or consideration of borders. Other basic freedoms under the constitution include freedom of religion, freedom of peaceful assembly, and freedom of the press. The authorities observe and respect these basic rights.
Sources: -CONFOEDERATIO HELVETICA, The Federal Authorities of the Swiss Confederation, www.admin.ch, 12/10/00. -Personal information.
3. Effective, fair police force: 4.7
Crime in Switzerland is very low. In 1997 less than 0.3% of the population (21,311 persons) faced criminal charges of which only 69 were murder cases. The general population considers the police force to be fair and effective and people feel safe within Switzerland’s borders. In comparing crimes committed by Swiss citizens, verses ones committed by immigrants, no major difference between the two groups can be detected.
Sources: -Swiss Statistics, www.statistik.admin.ch, 12/10/00. -Personal information.
4. Currency: 5.0
The official currency in Switzerland is the Swiss Franc (CHF). It is the only currency used in the country and has remained very strong and stable over the years. It is issued by the Swiss National Bank (SNB), is freely convertible, and is not controlled by the government.
Sources: -Swiss National Bank, www.snb.ch, 12/10/00. -Personal information.
5. Commercial banks: 4.8
The banking sector in Switzerland is one of the world’s best. Switzerland’s biggest commercial bank, the UBS, is the world’s second largest bank. The number one priority of Swiss banks is customer service, be it for individuals or enterprises. These banks are highly trusted and widely used by the population and companies for cash deposits and investments. The commercial banks are always eager and ready to support businesses and individuals with loans.
Sources: -UBS, Union Bank of Switzerland, www.ubs.com, 12/10/00. -Personal information.
6. Communication systems: 4.7
The communication systems in Switzerland are modern and widespread. There are about 4.82 million main telephone lines and 810,170 mobile cellular phone lines in use. The domestic system is composed of extensive cable and microwave radio relay networks, and the international system is made up of two Intelsats (satellite earth stations). There are also 4 AM and 113 FM radio broadcast stations, plus 2 short-wave stations. In addition, there are 108 television broadcast stations. Swiss citizens own an estimated 7.1 million radios and 3.31 million television. Finally, there are 115 Internet Service Providers (ISPs). The population of Switzerland being approximately 7.3 million casts light on these numbers. They indicate that most, if not all households have phone, radio, and televisions. Furthermore, there are many newspapers and magazines that have wide circulation.
Sources: -CIA, The World Factbook, www.cia.gov, 12/10/00. -Swiss Statistics, www.statistik.admin.ch, 12/10/00.
7. Transportation: 5.0
Switzerland has the reputation of having the most extensive and efficient public transportation infrastructure in the world. A person can literally get from any place in the country to any other, using public transportation (trains, buses, trams and metros). There is 5,035 km of rail and 71,086 km of well-maintained roads. Train, truck, and plane are the main means of merchandise transportation.
Sources: -Swiss Statistics, www.statistik.admin.ch, 12/10/00. -Personal information.
8. Education: 4.8
Swiss citizens ages 25-64 have can be divided into three categories, representing level of education received: 19.3% have completed obligatory education (grades 1-9), 57.8% secondary education (Baccalaureate and professional schools; equivalent to about 2 years of college in USA), and 22.9% higher education (university graduates). Education in Switzerland is of high quality and available to all. Literacy rates approach 100%. Furthermore, Switzerland is renowned for its technology, business, hotel management, and science higher education schools and universities.
Sources: -Swiss Statistics, www.statistik.admin.ch, 12/10/00. -Personal information.
9. Social Mobility: 4.5
All Swiss citizens are entitled to an education. For the financially deprived, the government pays for tuition, books, transportation, and meals. Elementary school to University can be attended completely free of charge and without burden to the family. Government educational grants actually improve a family’s financial well being and therefore create an incentive that promotes education for all. Furthermore, jobs in the public sectors are awarded on the basis of merits to the most qualified applicants, not because of contacts. This sounds perfect in theory, but as most developed countries have experienced, minority and lower income kids are less likely to attend a university than are middle and upper income.
Sources: -Swiss Statistics, www.statistik.admin.ch, 12/10/00. -Personal information.
10. Freedom from outside control: 4.9
All Swiss citizens are free from control of any foreign government. They are subject only to laws of their home country. Switzerland is not part of the European Union (EU), nor the United Nations (UN), so the government is also free from outside regulations.
Sources: -CONFOEDERATIO HELVETICA, The Federal Authorities of the Swiss Confederation, www.admin.ch, 12/07/00. -Personal information.
11. Foreign currency transactions: 4.8
The official currency in Switzerland is the Swiss Franc (CHF). All foreign currencies must be converted into the national currency for use in Switzerland. All business transactions are performed using the national currency. The Swiss Franc is a strong and stable currency controlled by the Swiss National Bank (SNB).
Sources: -SNB, Swiss National Bank, www.snb.ch, 12/07/00. -Personal information.
12. Border control: 4.7
Switzerland’s border control enforcement is strict and efficient, yielding yearly tariffs amounting to 14 billion Swiss Francs (CHF). Border control is headed by he federal department of finances, and employs about 4,500 people. Switzerland is in the heart of Western Europe and is surrounded by Austria, France, Italy, the Liechtenstein, and Germany. Although centrally located, it is not part of the European Union (EU) and therefore controls its own borders. EU free-trade laws do not apply to Switzerland.
Sources: -FDF, Federal Customs Administration, www.zoll.admin.ch, 12/07/00. -FDD, Swiss Army, www.vbs.admin.ch, 12/07/00.
13. Cultural, language homogeneity: 2.0
Switzerland’s official ethnic groups are German 65%, French 18%, Italian 10%, and Romansch 1%. There are also a high number of immigrants and refugees who account for about 20% of the population and who are spread out fairly evenly. The German speaking part of Switzerland is the most economically prominent region followed by the French speaking area. Although all citizens of the same country, Swiss citizens from the three main regions, identify more to their border countries (speaking their languages), than to each other. There is a sense among the people that the other parts are responsible for the problems that the country faces. Having different cultural beliefs and traditions, a fair amount of finger pointing goes on. However, the cultural and language heterogeneous makeup never amounts to serious conflicts; misunderstandings are always solved peacefully.
Sources: -CIA, The World Factbook, www.cia.gov, 12/03/00. -Personal information.
14. Political effectiveness: 4.5
Switzerland’s tri level political system is highly effective, because state and county government bodies are granted high levels of control. Being more prone to understanding situations and solving problems than the federal government, these small political offices are able to react quickly and make the right decisions. All areas of the country, rural or urban, have access to government officials for information or requests. Furthermore, Switzerland’s 100,000 signatures popular referendums allow the people to demand changes relating to law, business practices, the environment and so forth.
Sources: -ARENA, The Research Council of Norway, www.arena.uio.no, 12/03/00. -Personal Information.
15. Institutional stability: 5.0
The Swiss government’s Federal Council's collegial system (explained in more detail in the next policy) greatly contributes to Switzerland’s political stability. The Swiss National Bank (SNB) has also been viewed as a very steadfast institution, directly contributing to the Swiss Franc’s (CHF) strength and stability. Switzerland has kept a high educational standard, which hasn’t deteriorated over the centuries; Swiss business and engineering schools are still internationally acclaimed. Finally, the watch, food, and pharmaceutical industries are still well off and continuing their traditions.
Sources: -CONFOEDERATIO HELVETICA, The Federal Authorities of the Swiss Confederation, www.admin.ch, 12/03/00. -Personal information.
16. Honest government: 4.8
Switzerland is a representative democracy. The Federal Council is the major governing body, consisting of seven persons. They are elected by the Federal Parliament and are consensus candidates acceptable to most sides. Each federal councilor heads a ministerial department. The Swiss presidency rotates each year among the seven. The Federal Council's collegial system is probably unique in the world and contributes to Switzerland's stability. In the Council sit ministers from all the leading political parties. Although they may hold differing views, the ministers are expected to publicly support any decision taken by the group. The populace considers the government to be honest and trustworthy.
Sources: -CONFOEDERATIO HELVETICA, The Federal Authorities of the Swiss Confederation, www.admin.ch, 12/03/00. -Personal information.
17. Common Laws: 4.0
All Swiss citizens are equal in the eyes of the law and must hence be treated in the like manner. This is not only an ideology; it is the way law is exercised. The only obstacle, in cases of disagreements with lower courts, is the time taking appeal process. The Swiss constitution established on May 29th 1874 states Switzerland’s basic law. The Swiss legislative branch is headed by the Federal Assembly, which consists of the Council of States and the National Council. This resembles the American system. There are two levels of law: cantonal (state) and federal. All citizens have the same legal rights and obey the same laws on the federal level, but cantonal laws may slightly differ from state to state. In cases of conflicts between the federal and cantonal level, federal laws overrule cantonal laws.
Sources: -CONFOEDERATIO HELVETICA, The Federal Authorities of the Swiss Confederation, www.admin.ch, 12/03/00. -The Swiss Parliament, www.parlament.ch, 12/03/00.
18. Central Bank: 5.0
The Swiss National Bank (SNB) is in charge of the country's monetary policy as an independent central bank. In accordance with fiscal and competition policy, it attempts to create a healthy environment for economic growth. The National Bank is required by the Constitution to act and make decisions that benefits the interests of the country as a whole. Price stability is considered to be one of its primary goals. Other responsibilities include the management of commercial banks, ensuring the monetary supply, investment of currency reserves, and the stability of the financial system. The SNB is also liable of publishing statistics about Switzerland's balance of payments and banking activities.
Sources: -SNB, Swiss National Bank, www.snb.ch, 12/03/00. -EBK, Swiss Federal Banking Commission, www.ebk.admin.ch, 12/03/00.
19. Domestic budget management: 4.0
Switzerland’s revenue for 1998 was $32.66 billion and expenditures amounted to $34.89 billion. This is a deficit of $2.23 billion dollars, representing 1.1 percent of GDP. The inflation rate that same year was about 1 percent. The federal government has recently adopted: "Budget Objective 2001"; a constitutional amendment aiming to bring the federal budget into balance by 2001. This will be achieved through expenditure restraint and the restructuring of social security and unemployment insurance.
Sources: -CIA, The World Factbook, www.cia.gov, 12/03/00. -EOCD, Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development, www.eocd.org, 12/03/00.
20. Government Debt: 4.0
In 1999, Switzerland’s total national debt amounted to 199.4 billion CHF. This represents about 51.2 percent of GDP. It is said that a debt service amounting to over 50% of GDP is to be considered critical, but in the case of Switzerland, it is not an alarming situation. Their current liabilities (debt service) are 7.12 billion CHF, which amounts to only 1.83% of GDP. Furthermore, Switzerland has no external debt (debt in foreign currency), which is the most burdensome to a country’s economy. Budget consolidation efforts are slowing down the build-up of government debt and are projected to result in a gradual decline in the debt ratio. If the longer-term objective of amending the Constitution to require the budget to be balanced is realized, federal debt will go downwards swiftly.
Sources: -SWISS STATISTICS, www.statistik.admin.ch, 12/03/00. -EOCD, Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development, www.eocd.org, 12/03/00.
21. Private property: 5.0
The laws overseeing private property are fully enforced in Switzerland. Ownership is therefore viewed as a right and people do not fear unjust dispossession. Switzerland has signed the Paris Convention for the protection of industrial property as amended in The Hague (1925), London (1934), Lisbon (1958), and Stockholm (1967). Switzerland has also signed the Patent Cooperation Treaty of 1970, the International Patent Classification Agreement of 1971, and the European Patent Convention of 1973. Furthermore, Switzerland is a party to all major trademark conventions including the Madrid Conventions. Finally, Switzerland is a signatory to the Bern Convention of 1908, as amended in Berlin, Rome, Brussels, and Stockholm. Switzerland has also signed the Universal Copyright Convention of Geneva of 1952 and declarations of reciprocity were exchanged between Switzerland and the U.S. in 1924. Switzerland is also the head of and a major player in, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).
Sources: -WIPO, World Intellectual Property Organization,www.wipo.org, 12/03/00. -Hieros Gamos, www.hg.org, 12/03/00.
22. Economic statistics: 5.0
The Swiss government makes available a wide array of economic statistics through the Swiss Federal Statistical Office. Other sources include the Miroir Statistique Suisse, Economiesuisse from the Swiss Business Federation, and data from the Swiss National Bank. Information is available on the federal, state and county level and is regarded as highly reliable.
Sources: -Swiss Statistics, www.statistik.admin.ch, 11/26/00. -Swiss Business Federation, www.economiesuisse.ch, 11/26/00. -Swiss National Bank, www.snb.ch, 11/26/00. -Miroir statistique de la Suisse 1999/2000, www.statistique.ch, 10/24/00.
23. Protection of public health and safety: 5.0
Switzerland has one of the world’s leading medical and public health infrastructures. Life expectancy for woman is 82.5 years and 76.5 for men (1998 stats.) and the infant mortality is very low, at 4.8 deaths per 1000 births (1997 stats.). The leading causes of death are cardiovascular diseases (45%) and cancer (21%). There is on average one licensed doctor for 546 people and one dentist for 4’283 people.
Sources: -Swiss Federal Office of Public Health, www.admin.ch/bag/, 11/26/00. -Swiss Statistics, www.statistik.admin.ch, 11/26/00.
24. High wage policy: 5.0
Per capita income is virtually the highest in the world, as are wages (Per capita income (1997 est.): $35,614.). Switzerland’s decision to stay out of the EU ventured predictions by government officials that it wouldn’t be able to maintain its leading position with regard to the level of wages. However, according to a very recent study, Switzerland tops the list of all European countries even when the data is adjusted on the basis of the cost of living index.
Sources: -US Department of State, www.state.gov, 11/26/00. -CINS, Campaign for an Independent and Neutral Switzerland, www.cins.ch, 11/26/00.
25. Environmental protection: 5.0
Culturally, environmental protection has always been a high priority in Switzerland. The infrastructure currently in place, the Swiss Agency for the Environment, Forest and Landscape (SAEFL) is highly efficient for two reasons. Their regulation standards are high and fully enforced, and their use of economic instruments creates a landscape, which enables both the environment and industry to grow. These instruments function by offering financial incentives in the form of price adjustments. Aside from enhancing individual awareness of responsibility, they take both ecological and economic needs into account and are thus instruments of sustainable development.
Sources: -SAEFL, Swiss Agency for the Environment, Forest and Landscape, www.saefl.ch, 11/26/00. -Personal Information.
26. Strong Army: 4.0
Instead of being militarily self-reliant, Switzerland’s defense strategy is security through cooperation. Switzerland protects itself from foreign invasion through alliances and strategic cooperation with the world’s main powers, making its borders almost non-penetrable. The available military manpower in Switzerland is about 1.5 million, or approximately 20% of the country’s population. Even though all men between 20 and 49 years of age are active, yearly trained participants of the Swiss Army, the country's small size makes it's army inefficient against threat from large countries. Switzerland's defense budget for 1998 was $ 3.1 billion, which is 1.2 % of GDP, and 11% of the Confederation's spending for that year. The fairly high grade was given because of low spending and achieved security.
Sources: -CIA, The World Factbook, www.cia.gov, 11/04/00. -SWISS DEFENCE, 2000 statistics, www.vbs.admin.ch, 11/04/00.
27. Foreign trade impact: 4.0
Being a very small country, with a small percentage of cultivable land and very few natural resources, Switzerland relies strongly on foreign trade. Its importance to the national economy appears clearly in the export quota. In 1997 the ratio of exported goods and services to the gross domestic product was about 40%. This means that slightly over a third of the Swiss economy comes from foreign trade.
Sources: -SECO, Federal Department for Economic Affairs, www.seco-admin.ch, 11/13/00. -SWISS NATIONAL BANK, www.snb.ch, 11/13/00.
28. Protection of foreign currency earning enterprises: 5.0
The Swiss Office for Trade Promotion (OSEC) is the official trade promotion organization of Switzerland. OSEC provides trade services to Swiss exporters and to companies worldwide interested in doing business with Switzerland. Their services are to investigate market opportunities and potentials, develop export strategies with companies, define decision criterions for entering a market, analyze most favorable sale opportunities, evaluate business partners, and establish contacts. The federal government has recently elected a team responsible of promoting trade. Their objectives are to concentrate their promotion on essential tasks, to favor partnerships in order to attain maximum efficiency, and to become themselves, more efficient in their tasks.
Sources: -SECO, Federal Department for Economic Affairs, www.seco-admin.ch, 11/04/00. -REPORTS ON ECONOMIC POLICIES AND TRADE, www.tradeport.org, 11/04/00.
29. Management of foreign currency budget: 4.8
Switzerland is one of the major export nations for services (fifth place worldwide) and goods (ninth place). It is also the number three supplier within Europe (after the USA and Japan), and the European Union’s number two purchaser. Switzerland’s exports and imports are well balanced. The 1998 statistics were 115,847 million Swiss Francs (CHF) in imports, and 114,055 million CHF in exports. This represents a small deficit of about 1,792 million CHF. The Swiss National Bank’s number one task is keeping the Swiss Franc stable to ensure stability within, for Swiss citizens, and to allow companies trading internationally to have a strong currency for foreign trade.
Sources: -SWISS STATISTICS, Miroir statistique de la Suisse 1999/2000, www.statistique.ch, 10/24/00. -SWISS NATIONAL BANK, www.snb.ch, 10/24/00.
30. Layers of collective action: 5.0
Switzerland has been a federal state since 1848, the second oldest after the United States of America. It is structured in three political layers: the federal government, the cantonal (state) government, and the municipal or communal government (local authorities). The federal level handles all aspects of government that fall under the federal constitution, including foreign and security policies, as well as customs and monetary policies. Matters of lower rank that do not fall under the federal government’s responsibility are handled at the next lower level: the cantons. Switzerland is made up of 23 cantons, each having its own constitution, parliament, government and courts. All cantons are divided into municipalities or communes of which there now are 2903. In addition to fulfilling tasks for the Federation and the canton - such as the population register and civil defense - the local authorities also have specific tasks of their own for education and social welfare, energy supply, road building, local planning, taxation, etc. The local authorities are elected locally and they are, to a large extent, self-regulated.
Sources: -CONFOEDERATIO HELVETICA, The Federal Authorities of the Swiss Confederation, www.admin.ch, 10/24/00. -Personal Information.
31. Pro business climate: 5.0
A third of Switzerland’s employment is in the service industry, these positions being largely filled by foreign workers. Approximately 20 percent of the total population (about 7 million) are foreigners. Due to the country’s small population, immigrant workers have traditionally been relied on to fulfill most blue-collar positions. Swiss citizens have a high tendency of getting higher education and obtaining managerial positions, which are highly looked up to, and good paying. The average yearly salary of a starting manager ranges from 80,000 Swiss Franc ($ 50,000) to 160,000 CHF ($100,000). Swiss management schools are numerous and have a great local and international reputation. The climate is definitely pro business.
Sources: -SWISS STATISTICS, Swiss Federal Statistical Office, www.statistik.admin.ch, 10/10/00. -Personal information.
32. Government enterprises: 4.0
Most government enterprises in Switzerland have been privatized in the past few years. For example, Telecom/PTT (telecom and post) have branched out into Swisscom, La Poste, and The BlueWindow (internet service). These three companies are now actively competing and are successfully making profits. The government enterprise that is costing the government money is the transportation industry. Switzerland has one of the world’s best transportation system, but at a high cost since the SBB/CFF/FFS loses money every year. The railway service had a 195.6 million CHF deficit in 1997 and the government pumped 2,556.2 million CHF into the industry that same year. Switzerland has very few government enterprises and aside from the public transport sector, most of them are quite successful and self-sufficient.
Sources: -SWISS FEDERAL RAILWAYS, www.cff.ch, 10/10/00 -CONFOEDERATIO HELVETICA, The Federal Authorities of the Swiss Confederation, www.admin.ch, 10/10/00.
33. International security agreements: 4.5
As far as international security agreements, Switzerland is well surrounded. Although not directly part of NATO or the United Nations because of its neutrality, it has strong diplomatic ties with the UN, is part of the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Consul (EAPC), and many other international organizations. Also, the Swiss Army has recently adopted a new defense strategy, which relies mostly on international security agreements. Switzerland also has key advantages that make it a very secure environment. First of all, it’s a neutral country, which means it will not engage in war unless attacked. Then, its mountainous landscape makes it very difficult to invade and its small but hi-tech army is well prepared for such circumstances. Also, Switzerland has always tried to stay in friendly terms with other countries and keeping a good humanitarian image. Its reputable and open banking industry requires a stable and safe landscape.
Sources: -SWISS ARMY, Federal Department of Defense, www.army.ch, 10/10/00 -CIA, The World Factbook, www.cia.gov, 10/10/00.
34. Protection of domestic enterprises from government mandated costs: 3.8
In 1995, Switzerland adopted a new legislative act aimed to promote economic attractiveness for business. This campaign’s goal was to strengthen the local economic structure and to create an appealing business environment. Their measures included tax breaks and investment credits for small and mid-size companies, as well as direct contributions for information and advertisement campaigns. These dispositions were taken in order to compensate for Switzerland’s strict safety and environmental regulations and high labor costs. Aside from the government’s subsidies, Swiss companies have an advantage, which is the high production standard. This makes it worthwhile for certain industries to pay the extra cost. The "Swiss Made" etiquette is recognized worldwide and often justifies products’ inflated selling prices.
Sources: -CONFOEDERATIO HELVETICA, The Federal Authorities of the Swiss Confederation, www.admin.ch, 10/10/00. -Personal information.
DISCLAIMER
All the information and conclusions in each country analysis are solely the responsibility of the individual student and have not been verified, corrected, checked for copyright infringement or evaluated in any way by MIEPA or Mike P. McKeever. You are solely responsible for the results of any use you make of the information and conclusions in these studies. Use them at your own risk as interesting supplemental information only instead of seasoned judgements about the policy factors contained herein. Each student has granted permission for his or her work to be displayed here under his or her own name or wishes to remain anonymous and have either created a pen name or used no name at all; if you wish to contact them for any reason, forward your request to MIEPA and the student will be notified of your interest.To learn more about other countries, click to other files here:
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