And the people voted: let there be light

Direct democracy kept the people of one Swiss alpine village in the dark for over 40 years. What made them finally see the light? There could be someone standing just in front of me, but if there is I can't see them. The night in the village of Surrein is pitch black. There are only a couple of tiny orange-tinged lights blinking in the distance - warning lanterns from a construction site. Otherwise, it's dark. Silent too, except for the gentle gurgling of the river running through the valley. Surrein, population 250, is the last Swiss village without streetlights. But this will soon change, bringing the place and its people into the modern world. The few streets in the village have been dug up to make room to lay power lines in the stony ground. By the end of the year, the work should be complete - each street illuminated with the latest generation of lighting. The first time in its history that the village will be lit up at night. It's taken nearly 40 ...