The 18th century: general overview
The Lucerne House in Frauenfeld, built for the Lucerne representative to the Diet. The Diet was the only common body where the cantons could discuss policy, but it had no binding powers. It had no fixed seat, but in the 18th century often met in Frauenfeld.© swissworld.org
The 18th century was a period of relative peace and prosperity, until its last decade when French revolutionary troops invaded and destroyed the old political system.
During the 18th century, great advances were made in scientific agriculture. New industries got off the ground, including clockmaking and textiles.
Learned and patriotic societies sprang up all over the country. Swiss intellectuals discussed new scientific and philosophical ideas with their counterparts abroad. At the same time, they promoted Swiss national awareness, going beyond narrow cantonal boundaries.
The new industrial and intellectual elite challenged the entrenched ruling circles.
The century ended in Europe-wide turmoil after the French revolution and France's subsequent wars against European monarchies.
French troops invaded Switzerland in 1798, broke the power of the ruling élites there and temporarily destroyed the cantonal system by creating the centralised Helvetic Republic.
For the first and only time in their history the Swiss were forced to abandon their neutrality and provide troops for France.