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In Europe, Switzerland seemingly has low murder rate and relatively high gun ownership rate, 27.6 guns per 100 residents [1]. I am curious as to why the differe

• p-e-w 3y ago
  Culture. Gun violence is a function of gun ownership, gun culture, and overall culture. Nobody who has visited both Switzerland and the US can fail to notice the huge cultural differences, and how they relate to interpersonal violence. In the United States, hyperaggressive encounters between individuals (mostly not involving guns) happen at a rate that would be unimaginable in most European countries. I'm aware that there are other factors at play (such as most Swiss gunowners having military training, open carry being generally prohibited etc.), but the way people deal with each other is so starkly different that I strongly suspect it to be the main cause.
  • Freedom2 3y ago
    > hyperaggressive encounters between individuals (mostly not involving guns) happen at a rate that would be unimaginable in most European countries. I've been told, even on HN, that this is just what freedom, free speech and "the world's greatest democracy" looks like, and other countries can 'shove it', for lack of a better term.
• kyriakos 3y ago
  Gun ownership doesn't mean that guns are carried around. Many countries allow owning guns but don't allow people to walk around armed.