R

3.7: devolution

devolution and fragmentation

  • devolution: the transfer or delegation of power to a lower level, especially by central government to local or regional administration
  • autonomous regions
    • autonomous regions have various levels of government to govern ethnic minority regions
    • not completely independent
    • many Indigenous nations follow this model (eg. Navajo nation in the United States and other Indigenous reservations)
    • some religion-based regions, eg. Jewish autonomous regions in Russia
    • both federal and unitary states have autonomous regions
  • subnationalism
    • local power increases but belong to nations, not states
    • subnationalists pledge allegiance to regions or other unifying factors rather than states
    • eg. Quebec, Canada
    • goals of subnationalist groups include equality, independence, and development
  • balkanization
    • whole state in ethnic conflict
    • eg. Balkan mountain region (1900’s) → communications were difficult to maintain, lots of unique cultural/ethnic groups (eg. Serbs, Croats, Slovenes, Bulgars, Romanians, etc.)
    • demanding independence 2x in the 20th century
  • impact of technology
    • internet, social media, and travel
    • promote globalization (connections)
    • weakened nationalism to an extent (helping subnational groups organize)
    • supported democratization (helping reform movements communicate with each other)
    • created digital divide between states with and without access to the Internet
    • increased time-space compression
  • centrifugal and centripetal forces
    • centrifugal force — a uniting force within a population
    • centripetal force — a dividing force within a population
    • some forces can be both centrifugal and centripetal at once, for different reasons
      • eg. political elections unite certain groups under support for a certain leader but divide these groups from each other because of their strong but opposing views
    • centrifugal forces
    • regionalism helps create
    • when minorities are clustered, they become more self-aware of their situation within a larger population
    • this could lead them to try to creak apart from the state (eg. Quebec)
    • globalization has widened the rich/poor gap within states, which is another good example of this kind of force
    • centrifugal forces have largely intensified in recent years with the rise of globalization → decrease in sovereignty and better economic circumstances created empowerment for nations pushing for more autonomy
    • centripetal forces
    • many groups use forces such as political identities, economic state, and cultural practices to promote unity
      • political unity — promoted by:
      • unifying institutions (eg. schools) to educate students on state accomplishments or promoting historically significant holidays
      • promotion of nationalism and pride in national identity
      • economic development — building infrastructure
      • eg. creating higher quality and efficiency transportation opportunities, making better roads/railways, trade can improve as well as communications
        • trade usually benefits certain groups more than others, so this can spur conflict and act as a centrifugal force
      • better transportation = more interaction between ethno-linguistic groups
      • better communications and trade = fewer social barriers
      • cultural practices — often shared with homogenous populations
      • eg. Islamic countries like Saudi Arabia and Pakistan largely observe Ramadan

factors leading to devolution

  • administrative, legislative, and judicial power developed among national and subnational governments, whose structures vary by country
  • factors such as physical geography, ethnic and linguistic divides, terrorism, economic upheaval, and social unrest can spur/accelerate devolution
    • physical geography
    • isolation → devolution
      • eg. isolation in the Kashmir region of India/Pakistan
    • other physical features which often cause separation are deserts, plateaus, mountain ranges, and bodies of water which prevent transportation across them
    • ethnic separatism
    • because of divisions within and between ethnic groups, social uprisings can be spurred in regions experiencing such conflicts
      • eg. Basques vs. Catalans in Spain
    • terrorism
    • usually by non-government groups, but can be carried out by the government/military forces
      • eg. Basque group fighting for independence in Spain
    • economics
    • uneven development leads to economic inequities
      • eg. Indigenous peoples of the Amazon in South America may be against extraction from and development of their land, especially without benefitting from it
    • social issues
    • can follow geographic boundaries such as pockets of certain cultures or religions
    • social devolution
      • eg. distinct languages in regions of the US and Canada
    • irredentism
    • major form of devolution emphasizing “the restoration to a country of any territory formerly belonging to it”