Democracy: Issues and Controversies PI3049

1
Democracy Issues and Controversies PI3049

• Dr.Christian W. HaerpferReader and Head of
  Department, PIR

2
Unitary States

• Advantages
• Central government is accountable
• Single centre of power facilitates coordinated
  and decisive state action
• Ideal for small states
• Ideal for homogenous states

3
Unitary States

• Advantages
• 4. Focus on national politics produces national
  integration
• 5. Regional differences can be compensated by
  national redistribution
• 6. Chance for special powers to specific areas
  (e.g. Basque country)

4
Unitary States

• Advantages
• 7. Creation of nationwide equal duties and rights

5
Federal States

• Advantages
• Clear separation of powers
• Consensus and compromise between national and
  regional level governments
• Ideal for big countries
• Ideal for countries with large populations

6
Federal States

• Advantages
• 4. Protection of minorities in specific
  territories
• 5. Unity and at the same time regional diversity
• 6. Reduction of tensions and conflicts by
  supporting regional diversity
• 7. Competition between levels of governance

7
Federal States

• Advantages
• 8. Experiments with subsidiarity
• 9. Experiments with shifts of powers between
  levels of government
• 10. Good response to needs of regions

8
Unitary States

• Disadvantages
• Central state can be too powerful
• National majorities have chance to suppress
  regional minorities
• Hierarchical and rigid form of government
• Centripetal tendencies of powers

9
Federal States

• Disadvantages
• 1. Overlap of powers
• 2. Confusion between levels of government
• 3. Slow form of government
• 4. Expensive form of government
• 5. Centrifugal tendencies of powers

10
Federal States

• Multi-level government
• 1. European Union
• 2. National government NUTS 1
• 3. Regional government NUTS 2
• 4. Local government NUTS 3

11
C. Parties and Democracy

• Criddle 2003, pp.134-142
• Newton Van Deth 2005, pp.221-238
• Dalton 2006 (4th edition), pp.129-200
• Gunther Ramon-Montero Linz 2002