Unit 1.7 Flashcards
Unitary system
-power is centralized at the national level
-the central government is responsible for most areas of policy
ex: Iran, Uk, China
Federal system
-state power is de-centralized but can be aysemtric, not evenly divided between regions
-taxation, education, law making at local levels
-National Policy enforcement less efficient
-May weaken state authority if there are too many regions
ex : Russia, Nigeria, Mexico
key similarities of Unitary system and Federal system example
(Chukutka Autonomous Okrug in Russia- ethnic groups,
Scotland in UK- Scottish identity,
Northern States in Nigeria- Shari’a law,
China has Hong Kong and Macau. Sino-British and Sino-Portuguese agreements in the 1980s, but were relinquished in the late 1990s.
aysemtric meaning
not evenly divided between regions
political cleavege
china : hong kong and macau / tibet
U.K : Scotland / wales / northern Ireland
key similarities of Unitary system and Federal system
-Both Federal and Unitary systems can have autonomous- (semi-sovereign) regions.
In both systems, national governments can delegate powers to sub-national governments.
Nigeria’s federal system:
was designed to reduce the powers of the three main ethnic groups, Hausa-Fulani, Yoruba, and Igbo. Result: There is a discouragement of national unity ( by the different ethnic groups) and there is an increase in corruption at the local level.
Chinas unitary system :
China’s received Hong Kong and Macau in exchange for upholding the systems in those territories and allowing Portugal and UK access to future Chinese markets.
Russias federal system :
Russia had many autonomous regions, but now only has 4 in the central and northern regions. (Chechnya, for example, was no longer autonomous after 2004) (Creation of more districts that have local autonomy, but not many regions)
