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Unitary state

Unitary state

A unitary state is a state governed as a single power in which the central government is ultimately supreme. The central government may create (or abolish) administrative divisions (sub-national units).[1] 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 abrogate the acts of devolved governments or curtail (or expand) their powers. A large majority of the world's states (165 of the 193 UN member states) have a unitary system of government.[2]

Unitary states stand in contrast with federations, also known as federal states. In federations, the provincial 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 of existence and powers that cannot be unilaterally changed by the central government.[3]

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 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 (England does not have any devolved power). Similarly in the Kingdom of Spain, the devolved powers are delegated through the central government.[4] Many unitary states have no areas possessing a degree of autonomy.[5] In such countries, sub-national regions cannot decide their own laws. Examples are Romania, the Republic of Ireland and the Kingdom of Norway.[6]

List of unitary republics and unitary kingdoms

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

Unitary republics

Unitary monarchies

See also

  • Centralized government

  • Constitutional economics

  • Political economy

  • Regional state

  • Rule according to higher law

  • Unicameralism

  • Unitary authority

References

[1]
Citation Linkwww.worldatlas.com"What is a Unitary State?". WorldAtlas. Retrieved 2019-02-22.
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[2]
Citation Linkwww.un.org"Democracy". www.un.org. 2015-11-20. Retrieved 2019-02-22.
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[3]
Citation Linkportal.issn.orgGhai, 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. doi:10.1080/00358530600931178. ISSN 0035-8533.
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[4]
Citation Linkopenlibrary.orgDevolution within a unitary state, like federalism may be symmetrical, with all sub-national units having the same powers and status, or asymmetric, with sub-national units varying in their powers and status.
Sep 29, 2019, 11:01 AM
[5]
Citation Linkwww.britannica.com"unitary system | government". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 2017-08-11.
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[6]
Citation Linkopenlibrary.orgSvalbard has even less autonomy than the mainland. It is directly controlled by the government and has no local rule.
Sep 29, 2019, 11:01 AM
[7]
Citation Linkopenlibrary.orgRoy Bin Wong. China Transformed: Historical Change and the Limits of European Experience. Cornell University Press.
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[8]
Citation Linkwww.teara.govt.nz"Story: Nation and government – From colony to nation". The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture and Heritage. 29 August 2013. Retrieved 19 April 2014.
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[9]
Citation Linkwww2.rgu.ac.uk"Social policy in the UK". An introduction to Social Policy. Robert Gordon University – Aberdeen Business School. Archived from the original on 4 July 2014. Retrieved 19 April 2014.
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[10]
Citation Linkopenlearn.open.ac.ukOpen University – The UK model of devolution
Sep 29, 2019, 11:01 AM
[11]
Citation Linkopenlearn.open.ac.ukOpen University – Devolution in Scotland
Sep 29, 2019, 11:01 AM
[12]
Citation Linkwww.worldatlas.com"What is a Unitary State?"
Sep 29, 2019, 11:01 AM
[13]
Citation Linkwww.un.org"Democracy"
Sep 29, 2019, 11:01 AM
[14]
Citation Linkdoi.org10.1080/00358530600931178
Sep 29, 2019, 11:01 AM
[15]
Citation Linkwww.worldcat.org0035-8533
Sep 29, 2019, 11:01 AM
[16]
Citation Linkwww.britannica.com"unitary system | government"
Sep 29, 2019, 11:01 AM
[17]
Citation Linkwww.teara.govt.nz"Story: Nation and government – From colony to nation"
Sep 29, 2019, 11:01 AM
[18]
Citation Linkweb.archive.org"Social policy in the UK"
Sep 29, 2019, 11:01 AM
[19]
Citation Linkwww2.rgu.ac.ukthe original
Sep 29, 2019, 11:01 AM
[20]
Citation Linkopenlearn.open.ac.ukOpen University – The UK model of devolution
Sep 29, 2019, 11:01 AM