ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses various sides of marginalization in connection with the economy, selecting examples on various scales. The best illustration of economic marginality on the scale of the globe is to adopt a dualistic centre – periphery perspective and look at the Triad, the tripolar macroregional structure dominating world finance, trade and manufacturing. A shift from the global perspective to a larger scale takes us to international trade blocs. At first sight, they look like a sort of response to the simple division of the world into 'rich' and 'poor' as reflected in the Triad and in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Development is in this context understood as a broad concept, although economic objectives occupy a very prominent position throughout the document that details the ideas, wishes and actions to be taken. The common image of Switzerland is that of a rich country with a strong economy, resistant to the vagaries of the global economy.
