Unitary state explained

A unitary state is a state or sovereign state governed as a single entity in which the central government is the supreme authority. The central government may create or abolish administrative divisions (sub-national units). Such units exercise only the powers that the central government chooses to delegate. Although political power may be delegated through devolution to regional or local governments by statute, the central government may override the decisions of devolved governments, curtail their powers, or expand their powers. The modern unitary state concept originated in France; in the aftermath of the Hundred Years' War, national feelings that emerged from the war unified France. The war accelerated the process of transforming France from a feudal monarchy to a unitary state. The French then later spread unitary states by conquests, throughout Europe during and after the Napoleonic Wars, and to the world through the vast French colonial empire.[1]

Unitary states stand in contrast to federations, also known as federal states. A large majority of the UN member countries, 166 out of 193, have a unitary system of government, while significant population and land mass is under some kind of federation.[2]

Devolution compared with federalism

A unitary system of government can be considered to be the opposite of federalism. In federations, the provincial/regional governments share powers with the central government as equal actors through a written constitution, to which the consent of both is required to make amendments. This means that the sub-national units have a right to existence and powers that cannot be unilaterally changed by the central government.[3]

List of current unitary states

Italics: States with limited recognition from other sovereign states or intergovernmental organizations.

Unitary republics

Unitary monarchies

The United Kingdom is an example of a unitary state. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have a degree of autonomous devolved power, but such power is delegated by the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which may enact laws unilaterally altering or abolishing devolution.Similarly in Spain, the devolved powers are delegated through the central government.

Unitary states with a unique form of government

List of former unitary states

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Book: Holmes . Urban T. Jr. . A History of the French Language . Schutz . Alexander Herman . 1948 . Harold L. Hedrick . revised . Columbus, OH . Urban T. Holmes Jr. .

    de:Alexander Herman Schutz

    . amp . 61 .
  2. Web site: Democracy . 2015-11-20 . United Nations . 2019-02-22 . 2021-02-13 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210213090624/https://www.un.org/en/sections/issues-depth/democracy/index.html . dead .
  3. Ghai . Yash . Regan . Anthony J. . September 2006 . Unitary state, devolution, autonomy, secession: State building and nation building in Bougainville, Papua New Guinea . The Round Table . 95 . 386 . 589–608 . 10.1080/00358530600931178 . 153980559 . 0035-8533.
  4. Web site: What is a Unitary State? . WorldAtlas . August 2017 . 2019-02-22.
  5. News: Faulconbridge. Guy. Ellsworth. Brian. 2021-11-30. Barbados ditches Britain's Queen Elizabeth to become a republic. en. Reuters. 2021-11-30.
  6. See also Political status of Taiwan, two Chinas and Cross-Strait relations.
  7. Encyclopedia: Story: Nation and government – From colony to nation . Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture and Heritage . The Encyclopedia of New Zealand . 29 August 2013 . 19 April 2014.
  8. Web site: Social policy in the UK . Robert Gordon University – Aberdeen Business School . An introduction to Social Policy . June 30, 2014 . Paul . Spicker . 19 April 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140704080747/http://www2.rgu.ac.uk/publicpolicy/introduction/uk.htm . 4 July 2014.
  9. News: Gul . Ayaz . Taliban Say They Will Use Parts of Monarchy Constitution to Run Afghanistan for Now . 21 October 2022 . . 28 September 2021 . . The Taliban said Tuesday they plan to temporarily enact articles from Afghanistan's 1964 constitution that are 'not in conflict with Islamic Sharia (law)' to govern the country..
  10. Web site: Constitution of Afghanistan = Assasi Qanun (1964) . . 21 October 2022 . Afghanistan is a Constitutional Monarchy; an independent, unitary and indivisible state..
  11. News: George . Susannah . Inside the Taliban campaign to forge a religious emirate . 19 February 2023 . . 18 February 2023 . subscription .

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