Although the major inequalities between people living in different parts of Switzerland were ironed out by the French invasion at the end of the 18th century, some communities continued to lack political and social rights.

Jews

The rights of Jews had for centuries been severely restricted, and at times they had been actively persecuted in the Confederation (as in many other places in western Europe.) From the mid-14th century they were banned first from the towns, and later confined to specific areas.

In the 18th century they were restricted yet further. They could live in only two villages in what is now canton Aargau: Lengnau and Endingen.

Under the Helvetic Republic of 1798, they acquired the right to choose their place of residence and their profession but restrictions were reimposed in 1803 after the Act of Mediation. It was not until the 1860s that Swiss Jews obtained voting rights and were able to live and work as they liked. The 1874 constitution finally gave them freedom of religion.

The Homeless

The so-called "homeless" were people who were not registered as citizens of any commune, and who were generally forced into a life of vagrancy.

People might have lost their right to belong to a commune for many reasons: neglecting their children, living "in sin" (i.e. with a partner to whom they were not married), deserting the army or on political or religious grounds.

A law on homelessness of 1850 aimed to prevent vagrancy and give citizenship to all. Before it came into force, communes tried all means to move on any homeless people in their territory, since communes were obliged to provide assistance to all of their members in need to prevent them begging elsewhere.