Switzerland is well known to be one of the few countries to levy a general wealth tax. This paper studies the historical development of a wealth tax in Switzerland. It describes the move from a centralised to cantonal system, the one-time war taxes introduced by the Swiss Confederation in and after World War I, and the decline in tax rates over the 20th century. It goes on to discuss more recent attempts to abolish or reform the tax, including a current motion filed in the federal parliament.