Comparative Politics - Week 5 (Federalism and Decentralisation)

Question 1

what is federalism

Answer 1

a system of government in which the political territory is divided into units endowed with their own governments, and these territories, or states are unified under a common government

Question 2

what is de jure federalism

Answer 2

federalism in structure (by law)

Question 3

what are federations characterised by

Answer 3

• geopolitical divisions
• independence
• direct governance

Question 4

what is a geopolitical division

Answer 4

where the state must be divided into mutually exclusive regional governments that are constitutionally recognised and that cannot be unilaterally abolished by the national/central government

Question 5

what is independence

Answer 5

the regional and national governments must have independent bases of authority

Question 6

what is direct governance

Answer 6

• where authority must be shared between the regional and national government
• each level of government must have the constitutional authority to act independently of one another in at least one policy area

Question 7

what is congruent federalism

Answer 7

the territorial units of a federal state share a similar demographic makeup

Question 8

what is an example of congruent federalism

Answer 8

Brazil

Question 9

what is incongruent federalism

Answer 9

the territorial units of a federal state possess differing demographic makeup

Question 10

what is an example of incongruent federalism

Answer 10

Switzerland

Question 11

what is symmetric federalism

Answer 11

the territorial units of a federal state possess equal powers relative to one another

Question 12

what is an example of symmetric federalism

Answer 12

the US

Question 13

what is asymmetric federalism

Answer 13

some territorial units of a federal state possess more or less extensive powers than other units

Question 14

what is an example of asymmetric federalism

Answer 14

Canada

Question 15

what is coming together federalism

Answer 15

bottom-up bargaining process in which previously sovereign states come together and voluntarily agree to give up part of their sovereignty in order to poll their collective resources so as to improve their collective wellbeing

Question 16

what is an example of coming together federalism

Answer 16

the US, Switzerland

Question 17

what is holding together federalism

Answer 17

top-down process in which the central government of a state choose to decentralise its power to sub-national government

Question 18

what is an example of holding together federalism

Answer 18

Belgium and Canada

Question 19

what is a unitary state

Answer 19

a state in which the central government is the sole sovereign body

Question 20

what is a fused system

Answer 20

central government directly supervises local governments

Question 21

what is a dual system

Answer 21

local government has some measure of independence from the central government but is still managed

Question 22

what is local self-government

Answer 22

local governance, within boundaries set out by the central government, is largely left to the discretion of the local government

Question 23

what is de facto federalism

Answer 23

federalism in practice (China, UK)

Question 24

what is decentralisation

Answer 24

the extent to which actual policymaking power lies with the central or regional governments in a state

Question 25

what is subsidiarity

Answer 25

the decision should be taken at the most immediate or local level possible and thus as close to the citizens as possible