Cantons of Switzerland Cantons of Switzerland The 26 cantons of Switzerland (, , , ) are the member states of the Swiss Confederation. The nucleus of the Swiss Confederacy in the form of the first three confederate allies used to be referred to as the Waldstätte. Two further major steps in the development of the Swiss cantonal system are referred to by the terms "Acht Orte" ("Eight Cantons"; between 1353 and 1481) and "Dreizehn Orte" ("Thirteen Cantons",during 1513–1798); they were important intermediate periods of the Ancient Swiss Confederacy. Each canton, formerly also From 1833, there were 25 cantons, increasing to 26 after the
Public Welfare Policy in Switzerland Public Welfare Policy in Switzerland The country of Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, has a comparatively meager public welfare system. As such, Switzerland is often classified as the model liberal-market economy of continental Europe, and stands out amongst other continental European states due to its small, means-tested welfare program. The OECD cites Switzerland's social expenditure as 19.6% of their gross domestic product, a rate that parallels other liberal-market states' spending rates. The welfare state arose in Switzerland in the late 19th century, and its existence and depth varied individually by canton. Some of the programs first adopted within Swiss cantons