Direct Democracy and Public Education in Swiss Cantons

摘要: The unexpectedly mediocre performance of Switzerland in the international PISA study 2000 has rekindled discussion about improving its educational system. At same time, cuts federal, cantonal, and local budgets have become necessary due to economic recession, which also affected financial means available for public education. ongoing debates school reforms are complicated by fact that Swiss voter an important influence on fiscal budgetary issues through direct legislation. In general, legislative institutions restrict sub-federal government provision schooling (Schaltegger 2001; Fischer 2005b,c). underlying question is whether people’s control over budget necessarily leads a lower quality this good or not. Since cantons heterogeneous with respect degree democracy, quite autonomous their policies education, appears be especially suitable such analysis. This chapter aims at contributing these recent discussions summarizing most findings impact democracy spending components specific and, finally, data used