Understanding Federalism and Governance

Federalism Definition

• Federalism is a political system with two levels of government
• Neither level is subordinate to the other
• A key feature of federalism is shared sovereignty

Unitary States

• Sovereignty resides solely with the national government
• Local governments' power is granted by the central government
• Local governments are generally weaker than in federal systems

Confederations

• Sovereignty lies solely with the subnational governments
• National governments have only as much power as the subnational governments allow them
• These systems are uncommon in modern nation-states

Federalism: A Scale

• The difference between federal and unitary systems can be subtle
• Federalism exists on a spectrum
• Almost all countries have some mix of federal and unitary features
• Some unitary systems partially adopt federal policies

Reasons for Federalism

• Large Size and Population: Larger countries have difficulty governing centrally
• Federalism simplifies logistical issues
• Larger countries tend to be federal, smaller countries unitary
• Heterogeneity: Diverse populations are harder to govern uniformly
• Federalism allows different groups to govern according to their needs within a country
• Federal systems generally work best in countries with strong ethnic, cultural, linguistic, or religious diversity
• Geographic Dispersion: Federalism is often a suitable response to geographical dispersion.
• It is often used in geographically diverse, spread out places (e.g., island nations)
• External Threat: Federalism can help smaller entities unite to face common threats.

History of Federalism

• Often results from existing autonomies, not solely from heterogeneity
• Examples include the unification of emirates in the UAE and the USA to combat external threats.

Ideological Reasons for Federalism

• Laboratories of Democracy: Different jurisdictions can experiment with policies
• Subsidiarity: Policies implemented where most appropriate and feasible
• Independent Political Institutions: Local entities can have independent political systems and leaders that check and balance the central government

Ideological Reasons Against Federalism

• Combating Separatist Tendencies: Local governments might use powers to seek independence from the larger entity.
• Incongruent Policies: Divergent policies among local governments can lead to conflicts and potential harm.
• Political Chaos: Complex system of multiple levels of government may lead to gridlock and political disputes.

Features of Federalism

• Strength (weak or strong):
  • Weak federalism occurs when the central government heavily dominates local entities
  • Strong federalism maintains balanced powers between local and central levels

Factors Affecting the Strength of Federalism

• Tradition of Liberal Democracy: Countries with strong checks and balances usually have more balanced systems of federalism
• Unity in Federal Government: United federal governments are more likely to weaken local autonomy
• Political Oppositions: Multiple opposing groups in the central government may create divisions, leading to stronger federalism

Bicameralism

• Federal parliaments often have two chambers (bicameral)
• Upper chambers often represent local entities
• Representation can follow population, issue or even be based on arbitrary considerations (as in the cases of some historical examples)
• Possible issues exist due to this method of representation

Importance of Federal Courts

• Courts are essential in federal systems
• In disputes between local and federal bodies, courts function to determine the strength of the system, either strengthening or weakening it.

Types of Federalism

• Territorial: Local entities are geographically-based
• Corporative: Local entities are based on group membership
• Dual: Governments occupy separate spheres of power
• Cooperative: Governments have concurrent policy powers, prone to conflict
• Coercive: The federal government dominates the provincial/state governments
• Asymmetric: Different sections of the country have different powers granted