Federal States, Unitary States and the Process of Devolution

Quick Learn

Every state has different layers of government. However, geographic distribution of power varies.

Federalism and Unitary distribution are the two main type of spatial organization of government.

Unitary Systems

Political power (policy making) is in ONE GEOGRAPHIC PLACE

Highly centralized government (predated democracy)

Capital cities represent authority Local government exists, but has no

separate power Ideal for relatively small land space

Examples of Unitary States

United Kingdom- London Spain- Madrid China-Beijing Chile- Santiago (W. Coast of S.

America) Angola-Luanda (most of Africa) Thailand- Bangkok(most of SE Asia)

Federal- GreenUnitary- Blue

Federal System

Power and policy making is divided between a central government and geographic sub units

Developed in areas where no single city dominated

Works well with larger land space Accommodates regional interests

Examples of Federalism

Mexico (states) Germany (lander) Canada (provinces) India (states) Brazil (states) Nigeria (states) Australia (states and territories)

Is there ever a mix?Confederal Systems

Power geographically spread among sub units

Weak (very) central government Southern United States under the

Articles of Confederation, Swiss Cantons

Devolution

Movement of power from a central government to sub-government

Usually a reaction to centrifugal forces (divide and destabilize)

Ethnic, Economic, and Spatial

Devolution- Ethnic Forces

People who share a well- developed sense of belonging to the same culture (language, religion, customs)

Multiple ethnicities can threaten territorial integrity-Ethnonationalism French-Canadians in Quebec Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland Pakistan Yugoslavia- Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia,

Macedonia, Serbia, Montenegro Balkanization

Economic Devolution

Economic inequalities can pull a state apart- especially if they are regional

Italy’s Ancona line divides north and south- movement towards federalism

Spain- Catalonia is 17% of Spain’s population but 40% of Spain’s industrial exports

Catalonia: Center of Spanish banking

Spatial forces of Devolution

Areas that are the margins of the state Distance, remoteness, peripheral location Water, desert, mountains

France (Corsica) China (Taiwan) Indonesia (East Timor) US claims Puerto Rico as a territory, many

Puerto Ricans advocate full separation

Timor was declared Indonesia’s 27th province in 1975 and self determined

(UN Backed in 1995)