FEDERALISMIdeas and future implications

Overview

Two approaches to federalism – Riker, Elazar What were their main arguments? Strength and weaknesses of these approaches Future implications Federalism in the US Understanding EU as a federal polity Case study from the developing world: India Questions

Federalism: How they defined the concept

Two approaches:

Positive political theory:

William H. Riker

testable and tested generalizations

Federalism is a political organization in which the activities of government are divided between regional governments and a central government in such a way that each kind of government has some activities on which it makes final decisions. (William H. Riker)

Comparative analysis approach – Daniel J. Elazar

The combination of „self-rule” plus „shared-rule” in a contractual linkage providing for power sharing.

Federation, Confederation, associated states, leagues,

Federalism: What were their main arguments?

EXPANSION CONDITION VS. MILITARY CONDITION

Origins – Operation – Significance

Focusing on the most pragmatic questions

Self interest / benefits for regional leaders

The EU case The Iraq case

It is for the contractual non-centralization in the form of structured dispersion of powers

Federation primarily based on political objective (Switzerland at the beginning)

It is for the supportive political culture

It is to balance between cooperation and competition.

Positive political theory Comparative analysis

Similarities and dissimilarities

Riker largely focus on US federalism to understand the system and model

Riker’s idea is based on hierarchical and center-periphery relationship

But Riker’s idea focus only on federalism.

Elazar at the earliest time focused on US

Elazar tried to understand the federalism as federal system from international perspective

Elazar’s concept is based on a matrix of relationship.

Elazar thinks federalism as a broad generic term used for federation, confederation, unions, asymmetrical arrangements

Positive political theory Comparative analysis

What are the strengths and weaknesses of these approaches?

US Centric Investigates federalism

throughly in the case of US – centralized from the beginning?

Global perspective Comparative study focus on

different cases – federations and confederations

Positive political theory Comparative analysis

What are their (approaches) future implications

It is not suitable to understand the new global associations emerged based on trade (EU, SAFTA, AFTA, ASEAN)

This approach focuses on „self-rule and „shared-rule” – to explain the global trends of federalism

For example, in contrast of Rikers approach, the EU, SAFTA, AFTA are going to be federations or confederations based on “self-rule’„shared-rule”

Positive political theory Comparative analysis

Federalism of the US

National government – State government – State charters

US congress, from Jan 3, 2013 passed 185 laws, and state legislatures passed 24000!

Federalism is important for decentralization of politics and policies - states regulate drinking ages, marriage, speed limits etc.

Riker: Federalism perpetuates racism Elazar: Federalism allows for growth and

change and gives flexibility to the system

Understanding EU as a federal polity

The EU is more than a confederation (confederal federalism)

Significant powers have been transferred to a European level of governance

“The most decentralized federal system”,but Elazar sees it as centralized in terms of bureaucracy (indirectly democratic)

European consociationalism?

Indian federation is like US where states are more autonomous and on the other hand Indian federation is like Canadian federation where center is more powerful

In normal situation it works like a federal system and in emergency period it works as a unitary system

States can make their own laws when they are not in conflict with center

In Indian federation, there is a single citizenship unlike US

Residuary power ( the power that is not defined anywhere) is reside in the hand of center

Case study from the developing world: India

Case study from the developing world: India

In Indian case, the federation was established to expand military control.

2. On the other hand, the politicians here accepted the bargain giving up some independence for the sake of union: the threat from China and Pakistan (two war with Pakistan and one with China)

India is the example of constitutional asymmetrical arrangements

The Indian federalism is to heighten nationalism (reducing ethnic conflict) based on self-rule and shared rule to make space for all.

It is a hybrid character of self-rule and share rule.

However, to Elazar, in case of ethnic conflict, confederation has a better chance to sustain than federation. (Exception: India, Malaysia, Switzerland and Canada are surviving for a long time).

Elazar’s approach Riker’s approach

States vs Centre - Is India's federalism under threat? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pm7EpRf-Oa8

Critical Thinking

There may be other perspectives to understand and criticize federal Canada and EU: the European Union might be characterized as a

underdeveloped federation with regard to the extent of its equality commitment (EURO crisis),

Canada constitutes a case of fully developed but incomplete federalism with regard to its lack of inclusiveness (Quebec Separatism).

Same problem in case India. Where there so many separtist movements

Hueglin Thomas O. , Sui Generis Governance or Federalist Model for the 21st Century?, http://web.uvic.ca/jmc/events/sep2011-aug2012/2011-10-modes-of-gov/papers/2011-Modes_of_Gov-Panel_A-Thomas_Hueglin.pdf Accessed on 01/11/2014

Questions

Which approach (Rikers’ / Elazars’) do you prefer to understand federalism?

What is the difference between federalism in developed (US, Canada) and developing countries (India, Iraq)?

European Union or United States of Europe?

Volden, Craig (2004). Origin, Operation, and Significance: The Federalism of William H. Riker, in: Publius, Vol. 34, No. 4, pp. 89-107.

Watts, Ronald L. (2000). Daniel J. Elazar: Comparative federalism and post-statism, in: Publius, Vol. 30, No. 4, pp. 155-168.

Youtube States vs Centre - Is India's federalism under threat? NDTV,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pm7EpRf-Oa8 , accessed on November 01, 2014

Devendra Shukla, Peculiar Features of Indian Federalism http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLC_fJDp2Y0, accessed on November 01, 2014

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