Is Decentralization "Glue" or "Solvent" for National Unity?

Authors

Richard M. BirdFollow
Francois Villancourt, University of Montreal
Edison Roy-Cesar

Document Type

Working Paper

Publication Date

2010

Abstract

The last two centuries have seen the rise of the nation-state as the dominant political institution around the world. During this period, the colonial empires of varying duration and reach created first by the Portuguese, Spanish, and Dutch, then the French and British, then the Germans and Italians, and finally the Russians and Americans crumbled and were replaced by independent nation-states. However, “state” and “nation” are not always equivalent. In a surprising number of countries, as we discuss later in this paper, autonomist and secessionist movements of varying strength and character remain active. The broad question we consider in this paper is whether decentralization is likely to hurt or help national unity in these “countries at risk.”

Comments

International Center for Public Policy Working Paper Series #1003, Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, Georgia State University.

Recommended Citation

Bird, Richard M.; Villancourt, Francois; and Roy-Cesar, Edison, "Is Decentralization "Glue" or "Solvent" for National Unity?" (2010). ICEPP Working Papers. 103.
https://scholarworks.gsu.edu/icepp/103