Unitary State
What is a Unitary State and which country can be referred as a Unitary State? A unitary state is a country whose three organs of state are governed as one single unit. The political power of government in such states may well be transferred to lower levels, to national, regional or local elected assemblies, governors and mayors.
But, a unitary state contrasts with a federal state. In a unitary state, any sub-governmental units can be created or abolished, and have their powers varied, by the central government. The process in which sub-government units and/or national or regional parliaments are created by a central government is known as devolution. A unitary state can broaden and narrow the functions of such devolved governments without formal agreement from the affected bodies. In federal systems, by contrast, assemblies in those states composing the federation have a constitutional existence and a set of constitutional functions which cannot be unilaterally changed by the central government. In some such cases, such as in the United States, it is the federal government that has only those powers expressly delegated to it.
Most states in the world have a unitary system of government. Many federal states also have unitary lower levels of government. Thus, while the United States itself is federal, the U.S. state counties and other municipalities having only the authority given (devolved) to them by the state constitution or legislature are themselves unitary, with the devolved powers and laws of the sub national entity may be overridden, or the entity's law-making power curtailed, by an ordinary law of the national government, or by a simple decision of the head of government.
The United Kingdom is a good example of unitary state: Scotland has a wide degree of autonomous law-making power, but there is no right for Scotland to challenge the constitutionality of UK national legislation, and laws of Scotland can be overridden, and the powers of the Scottish parliament revoked or reduced, by an act of the national parliament or a decision of the Prime Minister. In the case of Northern Ireland, the devolved powers of the constituent country have been suspended by a simple government decision on several occasions. Thus, the UK is still a unitary state, despite superficially appearing somewhat like a federal state in practice.
Devolution (like federation) may be symmetrical (all regions having the same powers and status) or asymmetric (regions varying in their powers and status). UK devolution is asymmetric.
* Unitary is a system of local government in the UK in which official power is given to one organization which deals with all matters in a local area instead of to several organizations which each deal with only a few matters: Wales will be divided into 21 unitary authorities instead of eight counties and 37 districts.
* Around 164 countries have unitary system of governance including Iran, Afghanistan, Italy, Japan, Tajikistan, Sweden, Uruguay, Algeria, etc.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
But, a unitary state contrasts with a federal state. In a unitary state, any sub-governmental units can be created or abolished, and have their powers varied, by the central government. The process in which sub-government units and/or national or regional parliaments are created by a central government is known as devolution. A unitary state can broaden and narrow the functions of such devolved governments without formal agreement from the affected bodies. In federal systems, by contrast, assemblies in those states composing the federation have a constitutional existence and a set of constitutional functions which cannot be unilaterally changed by the central government. In some such cases, such as in the United States, it is the federal government that has only those powers expressly delegated to it.
Most states in the world have a unitary system of government. Many federal states also have unitary lower levels of government. Thus, while the United States itself is federal, the U.S. state counties and other municipalities having only the authority given (devolved) to them by the state constitution or legislature are themselves unitary, with the devolved powers and laws of the sub national entity may be overridden, or the entity's law-making power curtailed, by an ordinary law of the national government, or by a simple decision of the head of government.
The United Kingdom is a good example of unitary state: Scotland has a wide degree of autonomous law-making power, but there is no right for Scotland to challenge the constitutionality of UK national legislation, and laws of Scotland can be overridden, and the powers of the Scottish parliament revoked or reduced, by an act of the national parliament or a decision of the Prime Minister. In the case of Northern Ireland, the devolved powers of the constituent country have been suspended by a simple government decision on several occasions. Thus, the UK is still a unitary state, despite superficially appearing somewhat like a federal state in practice.
Devolution (like federation) may be symmetrical (all regions having the same powers and status) or asymmetric (regions varying in their powers and status). UK devolution is asymmetric.
* Unitary is a system of local government in the UK in which official power is given to one organization which deals with all matters in a local area instead of to several organizations which each deal with only a few matters: Wales will be divided into 21 unitary authorities instead of eight counties and 37 districts.
* Around 164 countries have unitary system of governance including Iran, Afghanistan, Italy, Japan, Tajikistan, Sweden, Uruguay, Algeria, etc.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
+ نوشته شده در جمعه 2 مرداد1388ساعت توسط Dr. Ahmad Reza Taheri
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