Understanding Federalism and Governance

<p>It describes unitary states that devolve significant power to local governments. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>It allows for a better distribution of governance across regions. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Spain (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Federalism can manifest on a scale with varying degrees of local empowerment. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>A centralized national government retaining sovereignty while allowing local governance. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Increased influence of local governments. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Australia (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Territorial federalism (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>They resolve disputes between local and federal governments. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Clear separation and delineation of responsibilities. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Belgium (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Shared policy power between federal and state governments. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>When representation is done regardless of population. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Federalism provides a way for diverse groups to govern themselves while remaining unified. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>To create stronger unified resistance against common enemies. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Economic focus of the local governments. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Brazil's central government dominating local entities. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>It may lead to diverse and inconsistent policies across regions. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Bosnia and Herzegovina (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Subsidiarity (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Increased bureaucracy and gridlock. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>A unified federal government with minimal dissent. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Strong federalism (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

A political system with two levels of government, neither subordinate to the other, sharing sovereignty.

A political system where all power stems from the national government. Local governments have power only as granted by the national government.

A political system where subnational governments have sovereignty, meaning that national and even supranational entities have power only if granted to them by the subnational governments.

Federalism exists on a spectrum, from almost entirely federal to almost entirely unitary, with many examples blending both.

Large countries often use federalism to ease governing, as coordinating across large areas can be difficult in a national system.

Coordinating activities across vast geographic areas is generally more challenging for national governments.

A system that seems federal in practice but is officially unitary.

The concept that the powers of government are divided and shared between different levels of government (e.g. federal and state).

Federalism is influenced by factors like population diversity, geographic dispersion, external threats, historical autonomy, and ideological reasons.

Countries with diverse populations (ethnic, cultural, religious) often adopt federalism to allow different groups to govern themselves within the country.

Federalism is common in countries with dispersed populations or diverse geography because it efficiently manages logistical challenges.

Federalism can arise due to external threats, as uniting smaller entities under a single country can improve defense and strength.

Federalism can be a way to unite diverse territories that have long enjoyed autonomy, even if there's homogeneous population.

Federalism offers advantages like experimentation with different policies, better-suited decision-making (subsidiarity), and checks and balances through independent local power structures.

Federalism's emphasis on local control can sometimes fuel separatist movements or lead to conflicting policies that harm unity or create political chaos.

Weak federalism occurs when the central government holds significantly more power than local entities.

Strong federalism is characterized by a balanced distribution of power between the central and local governments, where the latter have significant self-governance.

Factors like the overall strength and unity of the central government and tradition of liberal democracy influence the level of federal strength.

When a central government has many differing groups, it leads to fewer decisions being made, leaving a gap for local governments to fill, resulting in strong federalism. This is seen in countries like Belgium.

Often, federal parliaments have two chambers: one representing the local entities and the other the people. This structure reflects the division of power between national and local governments.

In bicameral federal parliaments, the upper chamber usually represents the local entities, either by population or by equal representation for each territory, showcasing the balance of power between local and central levels.

Courts play a critical role in resolving disputes between local and federal governments, defining and impacting the balance of power between the two levels.

A type of federalism where local entities are organized geographically, with clearly defined borders on a map. Many countries, like Germany and Ethiopia, use this model.

A rare type of federalism where local entities are organized based on group membership, not just location. These entities can overlap geographically, as seen in Belgian communities or the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

A style of federalism where local and federal governments have distinct areas of responsibility, with clear lines drawn (often in the constitution). The UAE is an example.

A style of federalism where local and federal governments share many policy areas, leading to potential for disputes. This system promotes collaboration but also conflict.