How did countries afford to stay neutral in wars, primarily WW1 and WW2?

Question

In WW2 the likes of Spain, Portugal and Switzerland remained neutral, how could these countries stay neutral?

What stopped the Axis powers from invading these countries to add to their countries?

In: 278

Answer 1

I live in Sweden and our whole economic boom during the decades after WW2 was due to us being neutral. This is in reference to OP using the used the word “afford” in the title.

Note that I’m not saying that it was morally right for Sweden to be neutral. I’m just commenting on the economic aspect.