Join the new world

As I explained in my last article (and I am deeply sorry for beginning every article with an anecdote from my time in Austria, as I'm sure you're tired of hearing it,) there was a time in Austria's history when the nation faced a serious takeover threat just as Switzerland does today. My concern now is with Austria a few months afterward. Once it became clear to people that they need not fear such threats, parties that were ideologically opposed to one another began to emerge. Rot Weiss Rot - "red white red", the Austrian colors - ceased to be the only motto of the Austrian people. Sadly, a fierce form of partisanship began to take over, and regrettably, no Austrian politician is totally innocent.

The effects of partisanship are wide-ranging. Most significantly, it impedes cooperation within government. That is a clear downside. Contrariwise, partisanship increases competitiveness and, therefore, motivation within government. Simply put, nobody works harder than a person with something to prove.

The question of how Switzerland will develop in regards to this issue is still to be decided. As Ilestis pointed out ( http://www.erepublik.com/en/article/a-time-for-change-le-temps-pour-changer--1178890/1/20 ), Switzerland today can accurately be divided into pro-Shaolin and anti-Shaolin factions. My first thought was that it was solely the Shaolin that served to unite us so, but this may not be entirely true. It cannot be denied that they are a contributing factor to the sense of unity I've observed during my time here, but I'm also noticing something else. The temperament of the Swiss people is different from Austrians'. I apologize for the failure on my part, but I find myself unable to articulate exactly how. I can say, though, that it is within Switzerland, I believe, to stay above that dark level of partisanship.

Anyway, it's useless to speculate further. We shall see. As always, this is just an observation. My intention is nothing more than to share with you what I've been thinking. While I'm writing, I'll announce that I hope to run for Congress next term if it will be at all possible. That's still a long time from now, but I greatly desire to get back into politics.

~L