WI: Colonial Switzerland?

[Abhakhazia]

Hi guys.
Is it possible, in any way shape or form for Switzerland to get colonies in Africa or South/East Asia by 1900?
Wouldn't this be diffucult with Switzerland's lack of a coastline?
Your thoughts-

[Iori]

Yeah, without a coastline it would never happen, and them getting a Coast would lead to things developing so radically differently that their would'nt be a Switzerland anymore.

[kingbaldrick]

They're too small and too landlocked to be a colonial power. Hell, even having a coastline doesn't mean you'll have colonies.

[SpazzReflex]

The Lack of A coast line hampers this immediately.

Even if this Switzerland did have a coastline and resembled OTL Switzerland, the big issue would be disunity. Up until the 1848s, Switzerland resembled a miniature HRE. The Cantons had signifigant autonomy, as they were basically sovereign nations who were bonding together to avoid The Hapsburgs' influence (among other things).
Now in this Wanked-out Coast-possessing Switzerland, an individual canton could possibly set it's sight for getting a colony, but now it has to tread lightly, for the Venetians, Spaniards, Brits, etc. will seize the colony to simply push a weaker country out of 'their zone'.
Though Brandenburg and a few other HRE states (IIRC) had colonial companies, they left very little impact and made little to no gains. All of the basically gave up the ghost by the 1680s...except for the Dutch.

[Grey Wolf]

The only way I could see it happening would be for NW Italy to remain "balkanised" in terms of sovereign duchies and city states. These could then fall under Swiss influence, and lead to some kind of unified trading company, maybe with Genoan origins.

Best Regards
Grey Wolf

[miguelrj]

Early colonization without a coastline seems impossible. I suppose it's not IMpossible that a 19th century stabilized federal Switzerland decides to acquire some land overseas (Swiss chocolate anyone?) and rents port facilities from France or Italy (hello Monaco!) from which expeditions could depart.
Troops - even if few number - would have to cross French or Savoyard territory so they will always be dependent on some kind of perpetual state of great friendship with either.
Uff! What a bother!

[wolf_brother]

ASBs up in here!

[Simreeve]

Originally Posted by miguelrj

Early colonization without a coastline seems impossible. I suppose it's not IMpossible that a 19th century stabilized federal Switzerland decides to acquire some land overseas (Swiss chocolate anyone?) and rents port facilities from France or Italy (hello Monaco!) from which expeditions could depart.
Troops - even if few number - would have to cross French or Savoyard territory so they will always be dependent on some kind of perpetual state of great friendship with either.
Uff! What a bother!

I see their expeditions voyaging forth by airship...

[kasumigenx]

I think Venice could unite with Switzerland but that is borderline ASB..because their interests are different..

[Falastur]

A lot of people are missing the point here though, that a Switzerland with a coastal border is a Switzerland that suddenly becomes a target of France. Switzerland wouldn't keep its coastline long enough to secure territories.

Then again, I'd even call Switzerland getting a coastline in the first place as ASB. It completely defies the point of Switzerland's existence - it was not an expansionist country, aside from that land which it needed to expand over to keep itself defensible and protected. Switzerland would have to double or even triple in size to secure a coast.

Originally Posted by kasumigenx

I think Venice could unite with Switzerland but that is borderline ASB..because their interests are different..

Quite so. It's ASB - they have nothing in common and no reason to unite. Countries didn't just choose to merge, anyway.

[Tongera]

Is Switzerland can hace a coastline, have the money to supprt unprofitable colonies, have a population that wants to mvoe to the colonies and can survive long enough not to lose the coastline, then sure why not?

[B_Munro]

Originally Posted by Tongera

Is Switzerland can hace a coastline, have the money to supprt unprofitable colonies, have a population that wants to mvoe to the colonies and can survive long enough not to lose the coastline, then sure why not?

If we had some bread we could have some ham sandwiches, if we had any ham...

Bruce

[False Dmitri]

How about a shipwrecked Swiss family that gets wrecked on an island but survives through hard work and pluckiness?

[B_Munro]

Perhaps some sort of late-19th century African colony founded by a corporation rather than a nation, with the corporation based in Switzerland? The Belgian Congo started out as basically a private enterprise under King Leo....

Bruce

[Tongera]

Originally Posted by Benkarnell

How about a shipwrecked Swiss family that gets wrecked on an island but survives through hard work and pluckiness?

Then it will be a Swiss family and not Switzerland.

[lucaswillen05]

No. The Swiss would have to win the Battle of Marignano (1515), annex some Italian territory with a coast line and then survive the various European wars over the next 400 years holding the bit of coastline/. I really don't see this as bieng a feasible alternate history.

[PoorBoy]

Just wondering, how plausible would it be for the Switzerland to conquer or let the rest of Savoy join the Confederation? This would be the first step in them getting the requisite coastline via Nizza.

[lucaswillen05]

Well the Swiss woulfd have to winat Margnano and, being up against both France and Venice that seems a tall order. Even if the Swiss got very lucky, as they had at Novara a Marignano type defeat would have almost certainly happened sooner or later, I doubt and Swiss territorial gains would have lasted beyond the end of the Italian Wars.

[SpazzReflex]

Originally Posted by B_Munro

Perhaps some sort of late-19th century African colony founded by a corporation rather than a nation, with the corporation based in Switzerland? The Belgian Congo started out as basically a private enterprise under King Leo....

Bruce

Now this is plausible (or at least under the right circumstances), although it would have to have some sort of Armed forces. We don't want Swiss Africa to end up like Liberia.

[miguelrj]

Originally Posted by Simreeve

I see their expeditions voyaging forth by airship...

Hurray for troops in balloons! Intercontinental voyages no less. That would go places.