chapter 11 Flashcards
sub-national government
can be arranged in:
- unitary system
- federal system
*emphasizes domestic matters
role sub-national governments in democratic regimes
- management: managing local affairs on behalf of national gov.
- implementation: national law and policy + local law and policy
- information: reporting to national gov. on status and needs local communities
- investment: in local economies and services (e.g. education, transport)
- culture: recognizing and protecting local cultural differences
in what ways can sub-national government be arranged?
- unitary system (90% of UN countries, 63% of world population)
- federal system (~24 countries, 37% world population)
unitary system = national gov. has sole sovereignty, sub-national gov. only has the power it is granted by the national gov.
federal system = national and sub-national levels gov. have independent powers (how they are divided depends on the country)
*some unitary systems function more like federal systems and vice versa
multi-level governance
(MLG)
Niemann:
an administrative system in which power is distributed and shared horizontally and vertically among different levels of gov., from supranational to local, with considerable interaction among the parts
*can be seen as positive: pragmatic concern with finding solutions to shared problems through compromise
*can be seen as negative: complicated, slow-moving form of regulation
four tiers of gov
- supranational = above states (e.g. EU)
- national or central = state-level, focus on state as a whole
- regional = middle-level between states and local gov. (states or provinces)
- local = closest to citizens, focus on local interests (e.g. districts, countries, cities, towns, departments, communes)
unitary systems
= sovereignty rests with the national gov., regional or local units have few independent powers
- emerged naturally in societies with a history of rule by sovereign monarchs and emperors: authority radiates from an historic core
- normal in smaller democracies (esp. without strong ethnic/cultural divisions)
- often one-chambered legislature: no need to balance national and sub-national interests
!trend of creating and expanding a middle tier of regional governm. + EU encourages this
!!unitary government is often decentralized + lately move to push responsibility for more functions to lower levels:
- deconcentration
- delegation
- devolution
(systems theory)
= studies the way in which parts of a unit relate to the whole, how parts of an institution fit together, how institutions work together etc.
- Easton 1953
- fell out of favour in the 70s (had to little predictive power)
how do unitary systems decentralize?
deconcentration = process by which central gov. tasks are shifted from offices in the capital to those in the regions or local districts
delegation = process by which central gov. responsibilities are shifted to semi-autonomous bodies accountable to central gov.
devolution = center transfers decision-making autonomy to autonomous lower levels
*is the most radical form
*can go so far that a state can be a unitary state, but look and act more like a federal (e.g. Spain)
regional government
middle-level gov. in unitary states that takes place below the national level and above the local level
federal systems / federations
= sovereignty shared between 2+ levels of gov, each with independent powers and responsibilities
- authority is shared among different levels of gov. with entrenched and independent powers
- usually 3 levels: national, regional, local
- works best in big and divided countries
- usually regional gov. has voice in national policymaking through an upper chamber of national legislature
~24 states, e.g. Brazil, India, Russia, US
diff. with unitary system = constitutional protected position of regional gov.
motive behind creation of federations
fear of consequences of remaining separate overcomes the natural desire to remain independent:
- joining helps exploit economic and military bonus of size
… federalism
- ethnic
- dual
- cooperative
ethnic federalism =
federal system of gov. based on recognition of autonomy for different ethnic groups (e.g. Ethiopia)
dual federalism = national and local levels of gov. have clearly separate sets of responsibilities
cooperative federalism =
layers are intermingled and it is difficult always to see who has ultimate responsibility
subsidiarity
= principle that decisions should be taken at the lowest feasible level
*in cooperative federalism
quasi federations
= system of administration that is formally unitary but has some of the features of a federation
*de jure unitary systems, de facto in some ways more quasi-federation
e.g. South Africa
local government
- tasks
- structure
- weaknesses
= lowest tier of gov. taking place at a geographically contained local level, as in a county, town or city
tasks:
- provide local public services (although this is now often outsourced to NGOs)
- implement national welfare policies
weaknesses: often too small to deliver services efficiently + shaped by relative wealth/poverty of local communities + lack funds to set own priorities + easily dominated by local elites
structures:
- council-system = elected council operates through smaller sub-group or functional committees, unelected mayor is appointed by the council or central gov., has limitied powers (e.g. NL, panchayats in India)
- mayor-council system = elected mayor as chief executive, elected councilors have legislative and financial authority (e.g. Brazil, Poland, half the cities in the US)
*can be divided into weak and strong major systems
!balance between intimacy (local gov) and efficiency (higher forms of gov) varies over time + balance is hard to achie
