Political Systems Study Notes

Political Systems

Overview

  • Key Topics:
    • The state vs. systems of government
    • Unity systems
    • Federal systems
    • Confederal Systems

The State vs. Systems of Government

  • Definition of State:
    • The "state" is a fundamental concept in political science and policy studies, recognized as the legitimate source of power and authority.
  • Systems of Government:
    • Systems of government provide an analytical framework for evaluating the centralization or decentralization of power and authority within states.
    • Most states adopt unitary systems where nearly all authority resides within a single governing body.
    • Some states implement federations, distributing authority across multiple governance bodies.
    • Confederal systems exist where authority is predominantly held by constituent governance bodies.

Unitary Systems

  • Characteristics:

    • Sovereignty is concentrated in one level of government.
    • Regional or local governments operate subordinate to the national government and can be unilaterally eliminated.
    • These systems generally ensure uniformity in laws and policies across the nation.
    • Key benefits include:
    • Promotion of national unity
    • Facilitation of common good
    • Enhanced accountability
    • Increased uniformity
    • Improved efficiency.

  • Examples of Unitary States:

    • United Kingdom
    • Japan
    • Saudi Arabia
    • France
Power Devolution in Unitary Systems
  • Devolution of Power:
    • While sovereignty remains with the central government, there can be devolution where authority is granted to regional governments.
    • A pertinent example is the United Kingdom granting devolved power to Scotland and Wales in 1997.
    • The central government can reclaim powers from devolved bodies (e.g., Northern Ireland powers reclaimed from 1972 to 2007).

Critiques of Unitary Systems

  • Potential Drawbacks:
    • The concentration of sovereign authority can foster conditions for dictatorship.
    • Unitary systems may not sufficiently address the varied needs of diverse regions (e.g., Scotland, Wales, and Ireland in the UK).
    • Such systems tend to be less responsive to distinct social and cultural requirements throughout the country.

Federal Systems

  • Definition:
    • Federal systems are characterized by a governance structure where powers and authorities are distributed between a central (national) government and subnational governments.
    • Shared responsibilities exist within a common territory and among a shared populace.
    • Each government level’s powers and authority are delineated in a constitution.
    • Neither government level possesses the ability to unilaterally abolish the other, signifying shared sovereignty across multiple institutions.

Why Federalism?

Geographic Integration

  • Governance Tool:

    • Federalism serves as an effective means for integrating geographically disparate regions into one political framework.
    • Residents of peripheral areas often favor increased local autonomy to make decisions relevant to their realities, rather than distant, centralized authorities, enhancing efficiency.
    • Many federal states, due to their size, necessitate a federal approach for governance.

  • Examples of Federal States:

    • Russia
    • Canada
    • Australia
    • India

  • Statistical Insight:

    • Approximately 25 federations worldwide encompass 40% of the global population.
Ethno-Cultural Integration
  • Cultural Accommodation:
    • Federalism aids societies with significant linguistic, religious, and cultural diversity, accommodating various communities within a single political regime.
    • Switzerland exemplifies a small nation exhibiting vast linguistic and religious diversity, successfully integrating such communities.
    • Further instances include Canada and India, with Germany offering lesser degrees of such integration.
Accountability and Redundancy
  • Political Theory Insight:
    • Drawing on Madison from the Federalist Papers No. 10, federalism is posited as a mechanism for controlling "factions."
    • Shared sovereignty prevents absolute power from being held by any single level of government, thereby fostering intergovernmental checks against individual authority.
    • This dynamic promotes self-regulation among government tiers, where contentious political figures are limited in their capacity to escalate tensions beyond their local jurisdictions (e.g., Alberta Premier William ‘Bible Bill’ Aberhart).

The Federal “Bargain”

  • Essential Components:
    1. Codification:
    • The federal arrangement must be formalized in a written constitution.
    • Residual powers must be clearly articulated; any powers not explicitly assigned default to a specific government tier (e.g., states in the USA or the federal government in Canada).
    1. Bicameralism:
    • The central government should consist of two legislative chambers, with the upper house representing regional interests. Examples include:
      • USA & Australia: Senate elected by voters in each state.
      • Germany: Bundesrat appointed by regional governments (Länder).
      • Canada: Senate appointed by the Governor General upon the advice of the federal Prime Minister.
    1. Judicial Oversight:
    • Courts act as arbiters to maintain and interpret the federal bargain.

Centralization and Decentralization

  • Discussion of Power Dynamics:
    • Examines the interaction and balance between centralized and decentralized governance models within political systems.

Quasi-Federalism

  • Historical Context:
    • Canada's founders aimed for robust central governance to avert civil war.
    • This approach led to the federal government acquiring significant de facto constitutional authority over provinces via mechanisms such as:
    • Reservation
    • Disallowance
    • Residual Powers
    • This results in quasi-federalism, where sovereignty is not genuinely shared.

Classical Federalism

  • Concept Definition:
    • Classical federalism is characterized by