Why is unitary government important

In a unitary state, the political subdivisions must carry out the directives of the central government but have no power to act on their own.

Of the member countries of the United Nations , are unitary states. The United Kingdom and France are two well-recognized examples.

While technically a constitutional monarchy , the UK functions as a unitary state, with total political power held by Parliament the national legislature located in London, England. While the other countries within the UK each have their own governments, they cannot enact laws that affect any other part of the UK, nor can they refuse to enforce a law enacted by Parliament. The opposite of a unitary state is a federation.

A federation is a constitutionally organized union or alliance of partially self-governing states or other regions under a central federal government. Unlike the largely powerless local governments in a unitary state, the states of a federation enjoy some degree of independence in their internal affairs. The US government structure is a good example of a federation. The U. Constitution establishes a system of federalism under which powers are shared between the central government in Washington, D.

While the U. Constitution specifically reserves some powers for the federal government, other powers are granted to the collective states, and others are shared by both. While the states have the power to enact their own laws, the laws must comply with the U. Lastly, the states have the power to collectively amend the U. Constitution , provided that two-thirds of state governments vote to demand it. Even in federations, the distribution of power is often a source of controversy.

Supreme Court under its original jurisdiction. Unitary states should not be confused with authoritarian states. In an authoritarian state, all governing and political power is vested in a single individual leader or small, elite group of individuals. The leader or leaders of an authoritarian state are not chosen by the people, nor are they constitutionally responsible to the people.

Authoritarian states rarely allow freedom of speech, freedom of the press, or freedom to practice non-state approved religions. In addition, there are no provisions for protecting the rights of minorities. Nazi Germany under Adolf Hitler is typically cited as the prototypical authoritarian state; modern examples include Cuba, North Korea, and Iran.

The unitary state is the most common form of government in the world. This system of government has its benefits, but as with all schemes of dividing power between government and the people, it also has drawbacks. Can act quickly: Because decisions are made by a single governing body, the unitary government is able to respond more quickly to unexpected situations, whether they are domestic or foreign.

Can be less costly: Without the multiple levels of government bureaucracy common to federations, unitary states are able to operate more efficiently, thus potentially reducing their tax burden on the population. Can be smaller: The unitary state can govern the entire country from a single location with a minimal number or elected officials. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Toggle navigation. Search Log In. Tutorial Lessons What is Governance?

Advantages and Disadvantages of Unitary System. To do 2 min read. Advantages An advantage of unitary government are that it is a single and decisive legislative.

See the list of advantages below: In a unitary state, citizens only owe their allegiance to the central government. This could promote national unity. The unitary system is good for countries that are geographically smaller in size.

There are no other levels of government that need to be funded by the state which makes it less expensive. The unitary system is more likely to engender harmony among the various ethnic groups in the country leading to internal stability. The unitary system allows for quick decision-making. The central government is directly responsible for the entire development of the country which makes development more likely to be even and uniform.

Disadvantages A disadvantage of using this type of system is that it has slow government response. Since all the powers are concentrated at the centre, the burden of work becomes too heavy.

A disadvantage of a unitary system of government is the tendency to become dictatorial. Every decision in a unitary system is made by one government. During an emergency, this is helpful because there are not various governments and bureaucracies to navigate through.

Because there is just one government at work, emergencies such as natural disasters, riots, and wars can quickly respond. There is no need to work to get funding from various forms of government first.

The United States is much different. During emergencies, states must work alone and then with the federal government when it comes to funding, which can delay the much-needed help. The Covid pandemic is proof of this. Because a unitary system runs under one single structure, the administrative costs are much less.

These lower costs can also help citizens financially who are out of work due to a disability. Overall, citizens benefit financially from a unitary system just as much as the government does. Although there is just one governing structure, local services are also a priority. What sets a unitary government from the rest is the way the local officials are used. In a unitary government, the central government will send one delegate to oversee each community. This is how things work in France.

In France, there are 1, local subdivisions called Departments. Each one is run by one person who is appointed by the central government. This makes things less confusing, and it is easier to get things done when just one person is running everything. Each person knows what they are in charge of, and there are no questions regarding who is responsible for a certain task. The United States is run under the Constitution.

According to the Constitution, some power is held by the federal government, but in some cases, each state is in control. It is not uncommon for the federal government and the states to disagree over who is really in charge, and they turn to the Supreme Court for answers. This can be very time-consuming and also expensive. Everything is run under one governing structure, and this is where everything is decided. A unitary system does not need for Supreme Court proceedings to make any decisions.

Although a unitary government is run under one governing body, citizens can voice their opinions on local matters that they can in federated states. The government will send the chosen delegate to each area so that the citizens can voice their local issues.

Under this type of government, all citizens are heard. Everyone is put in a position where they all work together. In the United States, there are two parties, the Democrats and the Republicans.

In some cases, families are broken up due to a different political view. Before each election, the tensions between the two parties escalate significantly. In a unitary government, there is no divide because everything is run under one governing body. While there are plenty of upsides to a unitary system, there are downsides as well.