FUNDAMENTALS OF FEDERALISM Rajendra Adhikari Director of Studies

FUNDAMENTALS OF FEDERALISM Rajendra Adhikari, Director of Studies

Session Outline 2 Concept of federalism Principles of federalism Opportunities and challenges of federalism in Nepal Service delivery in federal context: Opportunities, challenges and way forward PCMD rajendra. adhikari@nasc. org. np 5/25/2021

3 PCMD rajendra. adhikari@nasc. org. np 5/25/2021

Concept of federalism 4 Federalism is a type of government in which the power is divided between the national government and other governmental units. Federalism contrasts with a unitary government, in which a central authority holds the power, and a confederation, a more or less permanent union of states with some or most political power vested in a central authority. https: //www. cliffsnotes. com/study-guides/americangovernment/federalism/concepts-of-federalism PCMD rajendra. adhikari@nasc. org. np 5/25/2021

Concept of federalism 5 A flexible form of state organisation, it predetermines only very few aspects. A way politics are done – a way of thinking and acting: Power in the hands of many instead of in the hand of few. In most cases developed pragmatically PCMD rajendra. adhikari@nasc. org. np 5/25/2021

Concept of federalism 6 The classical federations: Confederation & Federation (federation by aggregation) New federations: from Unitary State to Federal State (federation by disaggregation) PCMD rajendra. adhikari@nasc. org. np 5/25/2021

Definition 7 "Federal political systems" is a descriptive term applying to a broad category of political systems in which, by contrast to the single source of central authority in unitary systems, there are two (or more) levels of government, and combining elements of shared-rule through common institutions with regional self-rule through the constituent units. This broad category encompasses a whole spectrum of more specific non -unitary forms including "federations" and "confederations" Ronald Watts (1929 -2015) In more simpler terms it is a combination of shared rule (for common purposes), and sub-national/local self rule (for specific purposes). PCMD rajendra. adhikari@nasc. org. np 5/25/2021

Deciding on Federalism 8 Constitutional Guarantee Self-rule • Definition of Federal Units (Provinces/Local Level) • Internal Organisation of Federal Units • Distribution of Powers • Resources Shared Rule Interaction • Concurrent Powers • Shared Powers • Fiscal equalisation • Coordination • Control • Dispute Resolution • Political institutions at national and sub-national level (representation) PCMD rajendra. adhikari@nasc. org. np 5/25/2021

Defining Federal Units 9 The state units having the right to self-rule and shared rule Issue/challange: How to define federal units? PCMD rajendra. adhikari@nasc. org. np 5/25/2021

Criteria or bases 10 A. Identity: /समद यगत 1. Ethnicity/community (ज त य 2. Language (भ ष क 3. Culture (स सकत क 4. Historical continuity (ऐत ह स क न रनतरत ) 5. Geographic (भ ग ल क /कषतरगत न रनतरत ) ) ) continuity ) PCMD rajendra. adhikari@nasc. org. np 5/25/2021

Criteria or bases 11 B. Capability: 1. 2. 3. 4. Economic अनतरसमबनध inter-dependence/capability र स मरथय (आरथ क ) Status of infrastructures and their viability (परव ध र व क सक अवसथ र समभ वन ) स धन Availability of natural resource (पर कत क सर तक उपलबधत ) Administrative accessibility (परश सन क PCMD rajendra. adhikari@nasc. org. np सगमत 5/25/2021 ) र

Principles of Federalism 12 Basically 2 principles: 1. Coming together (Federation by aggregation) Independent or autonomous states, entities coming together to form a more robust and powerful federation. USA, EU are the examples. 2. Holding together (federation by deaggregation) Restructuring the unitary form of a nation into several states/provinces and distributing governance authority. India, Belgium, Spain and Nepal the examples. In addition "Principle of Diversity Management" is also taken as principle of federalism. PCMD rajendra. adhikari@nasc. org. np 5/25/2021

Federalism in Nepal 13 q Declared as a Democratic Federal Republic by the Interim Costitution 2063 BS. q Federal constitution promulgated on 03 Ashoj 2072 BS (20 Sept 2015) PCMD rajendra. adhikari@nasc. org. np 5/25/2021

Why is federal system felt necessary in Nepal? 14 Address the diversity— multi-ethnic, multilingual, and multi-cultural aspect of the society within the state; Balance in development— healthy, sound competitive and proportional development of all the nooks and corners of the country. PCMD rajendra. adhikari@nasc. org. np 5/25/2021

Why is federal system felt necessary in Nepal? 15 Sharing and transferring the power— development regions were created for decentralization but powers, authority and development activities remained centralized Best mobilization and allocation of the resources– for balanced and justifiable development. PCMD rajendra. adhikari@nasc. org. np 5/25/2021

Opportunities with federal system of governance 16 Diversity Management and inclusion Cooperative Governance Balance in development PCMD rajendra. adhikari@nasc. org. np 5/25/2021

Challenges of federalism 17 Reorganization of federal units Cooperation Autonomy vs. control Dispute Resolution Resource mobilization PCMD rajendra. adhikari@nasc. org. np 5/25/2021

18 सघ यत म सव परव ह PCMD rajendra. adhikari@nasc. org. np 5/25/2021

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26 Thank You PCMD rajendra. adhikari@nasc. org. np 5/25/2021