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 Federalism in Nepal Opportunities and challenges Service delivery in federal context: Opportunities, challenges and way forward rajendra. adhikari@nasc. org. np 6/6/2021

3 rajendra. adhikari@nasc. org. np 6/6/2021

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 rajendra. adhikari@nasc. org. np 6/6/2021

Concept of federalism 5 State organization: A flexible form of state organisation with only very few aspects are predetermined. Shift in power paradigm: state power in the hands of many (lower orders) instead of in the hand of few (at center). Pragmatic (doing what works best) but not idealistic (things happen with otmost perfection) rajendra. adhikari@nasc. org. np 6/6/2021

Models of federalism 6 The classical Model: Confederation & Federation by aggregation New federation Model: Unitary State to Federal State (federation by disaggregation) rajendra. adhikari@nasc. org. np 6/6/2021

Principles of Federalism 7 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, Switzerland (& 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 rajendra. adhikari@nasc. org. np 6/7/2021

Definition 8 "Federal political systems" is a political systems in which there are two (or more) levels of government, and with combining elements of shared-rule and self-rule through the constituent/sub-national units. " Ronald Watts (1929 -2015) Canadian academic, who served as the 15 th Principal and Vice-chancellor of Queen's University from 1974 until 1984. In more simpler terms it is a combination of shared rule (for common purposes), and sub-national/local self rule (for specific purposes). rajendra. adhikari@nasc. org. np 6/7/2021

Deciding on Federalism 9 Constitutional Guarantee Self-rule • Definition of Federal Units (Provinces/Local Level) • Internal Organisation of Federal Units • Distribution of Powers • Resources Interaction • Concurrent/shared Powers • Fiscal equalisation • Coordination & Control • Dispute Resolution mechanisms Shared Rule • Political institutions at national and subnational level (representation) rajendra. adhikari@nasc. org. np 6/7/2021

Federal Units 10 The state units having the right to self-rule and shared rule rajendra. adhikari@nasc. org. np 6/7/2021

Federalism in Nepal 11 Declared as a Democratic Federal Republic by the Interim Costitution-2063 BS (4 th amendment-2065/2/16, 29 May 2008). Federal constitution promulgated on 03 Ashoj 2072 BS (20 Sept 2015) rajendra. adhikari@nasc. org. np 6/7/2021

Federalism in Nepal 12 Declared as a Democratic Federal Republic by the Interim Costitution 2063 BS (4 th amendment-2065/2/16, 29 May 2008). Federal constitution promulgated on 03 Ashoj 2072 BS (20 Sept 2015) rajendra. adhikari@nasc. org. np 6/7/2021

Criteria or bases of defining federal units 13 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 ) rajendra. adhikari@nasc. org. np 6/7/2021

Criteria or bases of defining federal units 14 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 rajendra. adhikari@nasc. org. np सगमत 6/7/2021 ) र

Why is federal system felt necessary in Nepal? 15 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. rajendra. adhikari@nasc. org. np 6/7/2021

Why is federal system felt necessary in Nepal? 16 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. rajendra. adhikari@nasc. org. np 6/7/2021

Opportunities with federal system of governance 17 Empowering people Deepening the democracy Political autonomy to sub-national/local governments Diversity Management and inclusion Cooperative Governance Balance in development Robust accountability (political and administrative) rajendra. adhikari@nasc. org. np 6/7/2021

Challenges of federalism 18 Reorganization of federal units Cooperation Autonomy vs. control Dispute Resolution Resource mobilization Federalization of political parties Adjustment of civil servants & establishing public service system at all levels rajendra. adhikari@nasc. org. np 6/7/2021

19 सघ यत म सव परव ह rajendra. adhikari@nasc. org. np 6/7/2021

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27 Thank You rajendra. adhikari@nasc. org. np 6/7/2021