Research Catalog

Title

Comparing federal systems in the 1990s / Ronald L. Watts.

Author

Watts, Ronald L. (Ronald Lampman)

Publication

Kingston, Ont. : Institute of Intergovernmental Relations, Queen's University, 1996.

Items in the Library & Off-site

Holdings

Details

Additional Authors

• Queen's University (Kingston, Ont.). Institute of Intergovernmental Relations.
• Queen's University (Kingston, Ont.). School of Policy Studies

Description

xiv, 126 p.; 23 cm.

Series Statement

Research paper, 0840-4690 ; no. 34

Uniform Title

Research paper (Queen's University (Kingston, Ont.). Institute of Intergovernmental Relations) ; 34.

Subject

• Federal government
• Comparative government

Bibliography (note)

• Includes bibliographical references.

Processing Action (note)

• committed to retain

Contents

1.1 The Relevance of Comparisons 1 -- 1.2 A Brief History of Federalism 2 -- 1.3 The Relevance of Federalism in the 1990s 4 -- 1.4 Definition of Terms and Principles of Federalism 6 -- 1.5 Federal Societies, Constitutions and Governments 14 -- 1.6 Issues in the Design and Operation of Federations 17 -- 1.7 Criteria for the Selection of Federations Considered in this Study 18 -- 2. Overview of the Federations Compared in this Study 21 -- 2.1 Established Federations in Developed Countries 21 -- United States of America (1789) 21 -- Switzerland (1848) 22 -- Canada (1867) 23 -- Australia (1901) 24 -- Austria (1920) 25 -- Germany (1949) 26 -- 2.2 Selected Multilingual Federations in Developing Countries 27 -- India (1950) 27 -- Malaysia (1963) 28 -- 2.3 Recently Emerged and Emerging Federations 29 -- Belgium (1993) 29 -- Spain (1978) 30 -- 2.4 Bicommunal Federations That Have Separated 31 -- Czechoslovakia (1920-1992) 31 -- Pakistan (1947-1971) 32 -- 3. The Distribution of Powers in Federations 35 -- 3.1 The Issue of Balancing Unity and Diversity 35 -- 3.2 Relationship between Distributions of Legislative and Executive Powers 36 -- 3.3 Variations in the Form of the Distribution of Legislative Authority 37 -- Exclusive Legislative Powers 37 -- Concurrent Legislative Powers 38 -- Residual Powers 39 -- 3.4 The Scope of Legislative Powers Allocated 40 -- 3.5 Distribution of Administrative Responsibilities 41 -- 4. The Distribution of Finances 43 -- 4.1 Importance of the Allocation of Financial Resources 43 -- 4.2 The Distribution of Revenue Powers 43 -- 4.3 The Allocation of Expenditure Powers 44 -- 4.4 The Issue of Vertical and Horizontal Imbalances 45 -- 4.5 The Role of Financial Transfers 47 -- 4.6 Conditional or Unconditional Transfers 48 -- 4.7 Equalization Transfers 50 -- 4.8 Processes and Institutions for Adjusting Financial Arrangements 53 -- 5. Processes for Flexibility and Adjustment in Federations 57 -- 5.1 Importance of Processes for Intergovernmental Collaboration 57 -- 5.2 Forms and Extent of Intergovernmental Relations 57 -- 5.3 Other Devices for Flexibility and Adjustment in the Distribution of Powers 59 -- 5.4 Cooperative versus Competitive Federalism 60 -- 5.5 Implications for the Democratic Character of Federations 61 -- 6. Symmetry and Asymmetry in Federations 63 -- 6.1 Political and Constitutional Asymmetry Distinguished 63 -- 6.2 Examples of Political Asymmetry 63 -- 6.3 Examples of Constitutional Asymmetry 66 -- 7. Multilevel Federal Systems 69 -- 7.1 The Impact of Membership in Supra-federation Federal Organizations 69 -- 7.2 The Place of Local Governments 70 -- 8. Degrees of Decentralization and Non-Centralization in Federations 71 -- 8.1 Conceptual Issues in Measuring Decentralization and Relative Autonomy 71 -- Legislative Decentralization 72 -- Administrative Decentralization 73 -- Financial Decentralization 73 -- Decentralization to Non-governmental Agencies 74 -- Constitutional Limitations 75 -- The Character of Federal Decision Making 75 -- 8.2 A Comparative Assessment in Relation to Canada 75 -- 8.3 Minimum Federal Powers 80 -- 9. The Representative Institutions of Federal Governments 83 -- 9.1 The Importance of Shared Federal Institutions as a Focus for Unity 83 -- 9.2 Institutions Based on the Separation of Powers or Parliamentary Principles 84 -- 9.3 The Significance of These Forms for the Representativeness and Effectiveness of Federal Governments 85 -- 9.4 The Impact of Electoral Systems and Political Parties 90 -- 9.5 The Role of Federal Second Chambers 92 -- Bicameralism within Federations 92 -- Selection of Members 92 -- Basis of Regional Representation 95 -- Powers of Second Chambers Relative to the First Chamber 96 -- 10. Constitutional Supremacy in Federations 99 -- 10.1 The Constitution as Supreme Law 99 -- 10.2 Processes for Constitutional Adjudication and Judicial Review 99 -- 10.3 Supreme Courts and Constitutional Courts 100 -- 10.4 Constitutional Amendment Procedures 101 -- 10.5 The Role of Constitutional Bills of Rights 104 -- 10.6 Provisions for Formal Secession 107 -- 11. The Pathology of Federations 109 -- 11.1 Significance of the Pathology of Federations 109 -- 11.2 Sources of Stress 110 -- The Distribution and Character of Internal Social Divisions 110 -- The Role of the Institutions and Structures of Federations 110 -- Strategies Adopted to Combat Disintegration 112 -- Polarizing Political Processes 112 -- 11.3 The Special Problem of Bicommunal Federations 113 -- 11.4 Processes and Consequences of Disintegration 114 -- 12.1 Canada in Comparative Perspective 117 -- 12.2 Implications for the Future Development of the Canadian Federation 120 -- Appendix A The Distribution of Powers and Functions in Federations: A Comparative Overview 125.

ISBN

0889115893

LCCN

cn^96932464^

OCLC

36343020

Owning Institutions

Harvard Library