A new examination of contemporary federalism and federation, which delivers a detailed theoretical study underpinned by fresh case studies. It is grounded in a clear distinction between 'federations', particular kinds of states, and 'federalism', the thinking that drives and promotes them. It also details the origins, formation, evolution and operations of federal political interests, through an authoritative series of chapters that: analyze the conceptual bases of federalism and federation through the evolution of the intellectual debate on federalism; the American Federal experience; the origins of federal states; and the relationship between state-building and national integration explore comparative federalism and federation by looking at five main pathways into comparative analysis with empirical studies on the US, Canada, Australia, India, Malaysia, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and the EU explore the pathology of federations, looking at failures and successes, the impact of globalization. The final chapter also presents a definitive assessment of federal theory. This book will be of great interest to students and researchers of federalism, devolution, comparative politics and government.
Author(s): Michael Burgess
Edition: 1
Year: 2006
Language: English
Pages: 376
Book Cover......Page 1
Half-Title......Page 2
Title......Page 4
Copyright......Page 5
Dedication......Page 6
Contents......Page 8
Acknowledgements......Page 12
Introduction: The problem with studying federalism......Page 14
Part I: Concept and meaning......Page 20
1. Federalism and federation: The quest for meaning......Page 22
2. The American federal experience......Page 63
3. Federalism and federation: The origins and formation of federal states......Page 89
4. Federalism, nationalism and the national state: Legitimacy and the problem of national identity......Page 115
Part II: Bases for comparative analysis......Page 146
5. The comparative study of federal political systems......Page 148
6. The Anglo-American and Continental Europeanfederal political traditions......Page 175
7. The concept of representation in federalism and federation......Page 205
8. Asymmetrical federalism and federation......Page 222
9. The European Union as a federal model......Page 239
Part III: Lessons of experience......Page 262
10. Federalism, democracy and the state in the era of globalisation......Page 264
11. The success and failure of federation......Page 282
12. Conclusion: Comparative federalism in theory and practice......Page 296
Notes and references......Page 303
Bibliography......Page 337
Index......Page 356
