For over six decades, Jean Ziegler has relentlessly exposed the mechanisms by which Switzerland has facilitated and profited from global wrongdoing. As a sociologist, writer, politician, and United Nations official, Ziegler has been a thorn in the side of Swiss elites, unmasking the complicity of the country’s financial institutions and political system in enabling economic oppression, war, and systemic hunger. His prolific body of work, spanning numerous books and articles, details the hidden forces that sustain global capitalism, often with Switzerland at the epicentre of financial malpractice and injustice.
Early Life and Political Awakening
Born in 1934 in Thun, Switzerland, Jean Ziegler’s formative years were marked by intellectual engagement and encounters with some of the 20th century’s most radical thinkers. His worldview was profoundly shaped by figures such as Jean-Paul Sartre and Frantz Fanon, as well as a pivotal meeting with Che Guevara. Guevara famously urged Ziegler to stay in Switzerland and “fight the beast from within”—advice that would define his career.
Ziegler studied law and sociology, ultimately becoming a professor at the University of Geneva. However, his academic career was anything but detached. From the 1960s onwards, he actively criticised Swiss foreign policy, its banking secrecy laws, and its role in maintaining global economic inequalities. He also served as a member of the Swiss National Council from 1981 to 1999, using his position to push for transparency and ethical accountability in Swiss financial affairs.
Switzerland’s Financial Complicity in Global Wrongdoing
One of Ziegler’s most persistent critiques centres on the role of Swiss banks in laundering money for dictators, war criminals, and tax evaders. In his landmark book, “The Swiss, the Gold, and the Dead” (1997), he exposed how Swiss banks hoarded Nazi gold during World War II, profited from the Holocaust, and obstructed attempts by Jewish families to reclaim their stolen wealth. His revelations contributed to international legal actions against Swiss banks, forcing them to pay restitution to Holocaust survivors.
However, Ziegler has argued that Switzerland’s economic complicity did not end with the war. His book “Switzerland, the Bankers and the Money of Dictators” (1990) systematically details how Swiss banks have continued to serve as financial havens for the wealth of authoritarian regimes. He documented how figures such as Mobutu Sese Seko of Zaire, Ferdinand Marcos of the Philippines, and Jean-Claude Duvalier of Haiti deposited billions in Swiss accounts while their nations remained mired in poverty and repression.
Ziegler contends that Swiss neutrality is a carefully maintained illusion, one that enables the country to engage in lucrative but morally dubious dealings under the guise of impartiality. By offering a discreet and stable environment for illicit wealth, Switzerland has provided vital support to global corruption.
The Structural Violence of Global Capitalism
Beyond Switzerland’s financial system, Ziegler has been a vocal critic of global capitalism as a whole, arguing that its mechanisms are designed to perpetuate inequality and suffering. In “The Empire of Shame” (2005), he explores the ways in which economic policies—particularly those dictated by the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and transnational corporations—trap developing nations in cycles of debt and dependency.
Ziegler asserts that hunger is not a consequence of food scarcity but rather a deliberate economic and political strategy. His tenure as the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food (2000–2008) reinforced his belief that starvation is not a natural disaster but a man-made catastrophe driven by profit motives. In “Betting on Famine: Why the World Still Goes Hungry” (2013), he details how financial speculation on food commodities has exacerbated global hunger, as banks and hedge funds gamble on the prices of basic staples, making food unaffordable for millions.
Switzerland’s Arms Trade and Economic Imperialism
Ziegler’s criticism extends to Switzerland’s role in the international arms trade. Despite maintaining a reputation for pacifism, Swiss companies have been implicated in supplying weapons to conflict zones. In “The Hidden Face of the UN” (2011), Ziegler describes how Swiss financial and industrial interests indirectly sustain wars by funding militias and facilitating arms deals under the cover of neutrality.
Furthermore, in “The New Rulers of the World,” Ziegler exposes how Swiss multinational corporations exploit labour markets in the Global South. He provides case studies of Nestlé’s predatory practices in Africa and Latin America, where the company’s aggressive marketing of baby formula has contributed to malnutrition and disease. These corporations, Ziegler argues, are the modern face of colonial exploitation, extracting resources and labour while leaving devastation in their wake.
Legacy and Controversies
Unsurprisingly, Ziegler has been a polarising figure. He has been denounced by Swiss business elites and politicians as a radical provocateur. Some critics accuse him of exaggeration or of being ideologically biased against capitalism. Others argue that his alliances with certain leftist and anti-imperialist regimes undermine his credibility.
Despite the criticisms, Ziegler’s impact is undeniable. His work has sparked parliamentary investigations, international lawsuits, and debates at the highest levels of governance. His relentless advocacy for economic justice has earned him numerous awards and widespread recognition among activists and intellectuals.
A Call to Conscience
In summary, Jean Ziegler’s legacy is one of unyielding resistance against the injustices of global capitalism. He has dedicated his life to unmasking the structures of financial exploitation, relentlessly challenging Switzerland’s role as a silent enabler of global economic crimes. Through his books, political activism, and work with the United Nations, he has forced Switzerland—and the world—to confront uncomfortable truths about wealth, power, and moral responsibility.
While his critics may dispute his methods, few can deny the significance of his message. Ziegler’s work remains an essential call to conscience, urging nations, corporations, and individuals to rethink the ethics of economic power. In an age where financial secrecy and economic disparity remain pressing global issues, his insights are more relevant than ever.