Merits of Federation

The federal form of State has been commended by writers since Montesquieu. They declare that it has so many merits and advantages that future governments will be-federal in form.

Federation combines that merits of unity with diversity. federation is a compact between several States to establish a united State, in which the federating States do not lose their individuality, and their diversity and autonomy. Thus they combine the advantages of strength that result from unity with the vitality and progress that result from diversity and autonomy. Thus federalism presents a happy blending of centralization and decentralization or national unity with local autonomy. It furnished, as (iarner says, the means of maintaining equilibrium between the centrifugal und centripetal forces in a State of widely different tendencies. It provides uniformity in legislation, policy and administration where uniformity is desirable and diversity where diversity is desirable.

Experimentation is possible. From the above merit follows another advantage. Diversity and variety of administration, legislation and policy in various units makes it possible to experiment in new ways and methods of law and administration without affecting other units! If the experiment in successful, it is adopted by other units and even by the national government for the whole country.

Federation creates new states by peaceful incorporation and voluntary union. Unitary States generally come into existence by war and forcible conquest. But federation usually creates States by peaceful integration and voluntary union. The U.S.A. came into being by the voluntary union of the thirteen revolted Colonies of North America in 1787, and the six States of Australia formed the Australian Federation in 1902. More recently, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics was established by a Union of 15 Republics. Such a voluntary union of independent States, Gettel says, “has made possible incorporation without conquest.” Federalism has thus been the means of uniting many small States which would not have otherwise given up their sovereignty.

Federal unification brings strength, progress and prosperity to the small States. A small State has neither the resources of manpower nor strength to develop its industry and agriculture, commerce and trade, science and technology, arts and culture. But when several small States combine into a federal union, their resources of manpower, skill and talents are multiplied manifold which enable them to develop their Oconomy, science, culture and society. This has been proved by the rise and development of the U.S.A., Canada, Australia, etc. More recently, it has been illustrated by the progress of the Soviet Union. Unlike U.S.A. the

Soviet Union is peopled by several races and nationalities with a great variety of religions, languages, customs and traditions. By uniting into a single federal union, these diverse races and nationalities of the Soviet Union have achieved great progress in science, industry, arts, social life and culture.

Federation lessens the danger of international wars and enhances the prestige of the federal State. The integration of several small States into a big federal State also contributes to the lessening of international intrigues, disputes and wars. Small States are weak States. They are constantly exposed to the intrigues and intervention by powerful States. This increases rivalry and tension among them and becomes a source of international aggression and war. The armed intervention by the U.S.A. in the little Lebanon in 1958 and by Great Britain in the petty kingdom of Jordan is a proof that these small States are unable to resist aggressive intentions of Great Powers and are also the cause of increasing international tension and war. The same is true of the many small States in Africa today. When the small States are united into a great federation, they become internally strong to rebuff and prevent all foreign intervention and aggression within their borders.

The basis of federalism is union and union is strength. One of the strongest motives of establishing a federal State is defence against powerful neighbours. Moreover, federation enhances the international prestige of the new State because it is strong, united and powerful. This is abundantly illustrated by the two great Federations in the modern world, the U.SA. and the U.S.S.R. Federation provides the only means of strength and defence to them against foreign intervention and aggression. Lastly, federation is also a source of dignity for the peoples of small States. An American citizen, for example, calls himself an American, because it is more dignified than to call himself a New Yorker or a Californian, although he may be an inhabitant of New York or California.

Federation suits a large State with great territory or a small State with great diversity. Federation combines the two advantages of liberty with autonomy. Geographical distance produces differences and diversity of interests, customs and conditions in a vast State. Liberty and democracy demand that they should be given proper opportunity for development and expression. A unitary State would wipe them out, but a federal State preserves them on the basis of local autonomy and national unity. Federation makes democracy workable over large areas, as is illustrated by such countries as U.S.A., Pakistan India and the Soviet Union. Gettel has rightly remarked that, except representation, nothing has done more to make democracy workable over large areas than the system of a federal government. John Fiske has aptly remarked that a federal State can be as large as a continent. At the same time, a federation also benefits a small State which has great diversity of religion, social customs, cultural or racial differences and historical conditions of the past. A unitary State will behave despotically as it will wipe out these differences, while a federal union will preserve them on the basis of liberty with unity. This fact is illustrated by the federations of Switzerland, Germany, etc.

It prevents despotic tendencies in a government. Great writers, like Montesquieu, Lord Bryce and others have emphasized the merit of the federation as a check on the despotic tendencies of the government. The reason is that in a federation, the Centre and the Units serve as a check on each other as neither of them possesses sovereignty and yet each of them enjoys autonomy and independence within its own sphere of powers. The supremacy of the constitution and the independent position of the federal judiciary as a guardian of the constitution, act as checks on their despotic tendencies. Hence there is lesser danger of the establishment of a centralized and despotic rule in a federal union which would not usurp the liberties of the people than in a unitary State.

Federation means local or self-government on a large scale. A federal State is far more democratic than a unitary State, for it is based on self-government and autonomy of all the component units. Democracy is self- government. Federation is, therefore, democracy on a large scale. A unitary State may give good government to the people. But good government is no substitute for self-government. Self-government stimulates the interest of the people in their local affairs, makes them more politically conscious and vigilant of their rights, liberty and administration, develops their civic sense, makes them more patriotic, public-spirited and duty-conscious, educates and enlightens them about the problems and difficulties of the State and society. As he has a double allegiance to both his local and national government, a citizen of the federal State has an opportunity to participate in the elections and administration of his own locality or province as well as of the national government. He has more freedom in moulding his own destiny as he has greater voice in the affairs of his own province or federal government.

Federation is more suitable for modern society than the unitary State. Modem society is becoming increasingly complex, with great diversities of economic, social, religious, cultural, intellectual and other interests and occupations. They can be properly preserved and developed when the State is federally organised. Laski and other Pluralists have, therefore, strongly advocated that modem State is and should be federally organised.

Lastly, federation is the only way by which the whole world can be united into a single State, in which there shall be no international disputes and wars and mankind would enjoy the blessings of eternal peace and happiness in conditions of national liberty and progress.

Some writers even predict that the future world-State, when it comes, will be a world federation.

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