Federalism
Friday, June 10, 2022 1
, Defining Federations
Like many other concepts For older For the EU-the coming
there is admittedly some federations-the together of the bulk of
difficulty in
defining/understanding
joining of some European states-
federalism on the basis of autonomous units for combining confederal as
various context. some common goals. well as federal features.
For former communist In the African
federations-division of context, federalism is What do you think is
powers in constitutional associated with the the reason for such
form rather than in colonial experience variation?
operational reality. of divide and rule.
Part of the explanation also comes from
the fact that federalism has been the
It might, therefore, mean different
subject of study of different disciplines
things to different people depending
and different scholars have been
on historical and cultural context. studying different aspects of the same
concept.
Friday, June 10, 2022 2
,Federalism as a Mode of Organizing a State
the word ‘federalism’ comes from the Latin, foedus, meaning
"covenant“: a solemn agreement among smaller polities to form a
larger perpetual polity.
Federalism is a form of non-centralized mode of organizing a polity.
It refers to a "union of separate states in which power is divided and
shared between a strong union government and strong state
governments.
the idea of "shared rule and self-rule.” inherent in federalism.
It presumes the existence of at least two layers of government .
Friday, June 10, 2022 3
, Preston King and Ronald Watts: distinguish federations
from federalism.
federalism refers to an ideology: a normative principle,
while federations refer to institutions.
Federation is descriptive concept referring to the actual
system of governments.
The essence of federalism as a normative principle is
the perpetuation of both union and autonomy, in the
latter for accommodating, preserving and promoting
distinct identities within a large political union.
Friday, June 10, 2022 4
Friday, June 10, 2022 1
, Defining Federations
Like many other concepts For older For the EU-the coming
there is admittedly some federations-the together of the bulk of
difficulty in
defining/understanding
joining of some European states-
federalism on the basis of autonomous units for combining confederal as
various context. some common goals. well as federal features.
For former communist In the African
federations-division of context, federalism is What do you think is
powers in constitutional associated with the the reason for such
form rather than in colonial experience variation?
operational reality. of divide and rule.
Part of the explanation also comes from
the fact that federalism has been the
It might, therefore, mean different
subject of study of different disciplines
things to different people depending
and different scholars have been
on historical and cultural context. studying different aspects of the same
concept.
Friday, June 10, 2022 2
,Federalism as a Mode of Organizing a State
the word ‘federalism’ comes from the Latin, foedus, meaning
"covenant“: a solemn agreement among smaller polities to form a
larger perpetual polity.
Federalism is a form of non-centralized mode of organizing a polity.
It refers to a "union of separate states in which power is divided and
shared between a strong union government and strong state
governments.
the idea of "shared rule and self-rule.” inherent in federalism.
It presumes the existence of at least two layers of government .
Friday, June 10, 2022 3
, Preston King and Ronald Watts: distinguish federations
from federalism.
federalism refers to an ideology: a normative principle,
while federations refer to institutions.
Federation is descriptive concept referring to the actual
system of governments.
The essence of federalism as a normative principle is
the perpetuation of both union and autonomy, in the
latter for accommodating, preserving and promoting
distinct identities within a large political union.
Friday, June 10, 2022 4
