Models of Federalism
Master of European Studies – specialisation: EU Regional Policy
Models of Federalism
Institute: Institute of Political Science
Study programme:Master’s Degree in European Studies
Specialisation:EU Regional Policy
Year of study:2nd /summer semester
Language of instructionEnglish
Duration of the course15 weeks (30 hours)
Mode of completionExam
Credits:4 ECTS
Lecturer:professor Wiesław Bokajło
Contact:
I. COURSE DESCRIPTION
Models of Federalism is a core course of 4 credits. This course is consisted of 30 hours of teaching divided into fifteen weeks. Each week students will attend 2 hours of lectures.
II. COURSE OBJECTIVES AND LEARNING OUTCOMES
Federalism - the aim of the lectures is closed connected with the problem of integration at all, and with the problem of the European integration in particular. In other words it is the problem of the European Union, the problem of the future of the European Union, its final shape, its organization, relations between European Union and its member-states. Those problems are very important and simultaneously very difficult; not only difficult from the theoretical side, but also from the side of politics and policy, first of all, governments of the member-states of the European Union.
The majority of scientists and scholars think about federation as the federal state. They assume that also the federation of the states should be constructed on the pattern of the existed federal states – first of all, democratic and decentralized states. Usually they are thinking about federal structure of the USA. Federalism, by contrast, is understood as dynamic idea defined by a political system based on the principles of liberty, equality of rights, and the autonomy of members of that system. The dynamic nature of that idea points rather to its implementation during the integration process, than to the assumed plan. The understanding of the federalism as dynamic process leading to federal structure of the European Union requires the recognition of the nature different models of federal states. So, the first task is to present and to learn about main theories of federalism. The second task is to present selected models of federal states: an ancient Greek Federation,Swiss Federation, federal system of the Polish Noble Republic (Commonwealth of the Two Nation), United States of America andFederal Republic of Germany. And the third task is to analyze those models of federal states from the theoretical point of view, first of all: theory of federal government, F. Kinsky’s theory of federalism and subsidiary federalism. The conclusions are compared with the functionalism theory in order to find the best future model the European Union.
This course will require both extensive reading and regular participation in a class discussion. Students will be asked to work on specific issue related to course topic and to prepare research paper.
III. CONTENT OF THE COURSE AND RECOMMENDED READING
Week 1. Introduction to the course.
Recommended reading:
M. Burgess, Comparative Federalism. Theory and Practice, Routledge, New York 2006(chapter: 2.);
R.L. Watts, Comparing Federal Systems, 2th edition, Institute of Intergovernmental Relation, Queen’s University Kingston Ontario. Canada, 1999
Federalism: conceptual and methodological review. In the scientific literature the notion of federalism is often identified with various phenomena: 1.the federal state, 2.the federation (union, confederation) of states; 3.the idea of a supra-state system oriented towards the United States model and towards the theory of federal Government or to the process leading to that system, 4.the theory of regional integration. The understanding of the federalism as dynamic process leading to federal structure; notion, fundamental values and general principles of federalism; differences between federation and federalism.
Week 2. Theories of federalism (1).
Recommended reading:
M. Burgess, Comparative Federalism. Theory and Practice, Routledge, New York 2006(chapter: 2.);
R.L. Watts, Comparing Federal Systems, 2th edition, Institute of Intergovernmental Relation, Queen’s University Kingston Ontario. Canada, 1999
The origins and formation of Federal States: the intellectual debate. Review of the theories of federalism: semi-federalism without devolution and democracy, constitutional federalism oriented on the philosophy of personalism, constitutional federalism oriented on the revolutionary, neo-marxist philosophy, federalism connected with neofunctionalism, structural federalism.
Week 3. The most relevant theories of federalism (1).
Recommended reading:
M. Burgess, Comparative Federalism. Theory and Practice, Routledge, New York 2006(chapter: 2.);
R.L. Watts, Comparing Federal Systems, 2th edition, Institute of Intergovernmental Relation, Queen’s University Kingston Ontario. Canada, 1999
The American Federal Experience. Federation and confederation: Publius revisited; federalism and federation: philosophical conceptions of individual and community. The theory of federal government; the idea of a supra-state system oriented towards the United States model and towards the theory of federal Government or to the process leading to that system.
Week 4.The most relevant theories of federalism (2).
Recommended reading:
M. Burgess, Comparative Federalism. Theory and Practice, Routledge, New York 2006(chapter: 2.);
R.L. Watts, Comparing Federal Systems, 2th edition, Institute of Intergovernmental Relation, Queen’s University Kingston Ontario. Canada, 1999
F. Kinsky’s theory of federalism is based on the 4 principles: autonomy; cooperation and legal regulated methods solution of conflicts; subsidiarity principle and the appropriate power’s division; participation. Discussion leading to the thesis: the subsidiary principle should be connected with well-developed civil society active in the political sphere (via a system of political parties) as well as in the public sphere (via a system of public associations), on all the levels of the federal structure – from local, via regional and state, to European-wide structures.
Subsidiary federalism
Week 5. Federalism, Nationalism and the National State
Recommended reading:
M. Burgess, Comparative Federalism. Theory and Practice, Routledge, New York 2006(chapter: 4.);
R.L. Watts, Comparing Federal Systems, 2th edition, Institute of Intergovernmental Relation, Queen’s University Kingston Ontario. Canada, 1999
Federalism, nationalism and the National State: legitimacy and the problem of national identity; multinational federations in comparative perspective; national identity and legitimacy in multinational federation; liberal nationalism in multinational federation
Week 6. The Anglo-American and European federal political traditions.
Recommended reading:
M. Burgess, Comparative Federalism. Theory and Practice, Routledge, New York 2006(chapter: 6.);
The Continental European Federal Tradition: an ancient federalism, federalism in Poland, Switzerland, and Germany; philosophical background of federal thought in France and England in 19.-20. century. The Anglo-American Tradition; Quebec Federalism Revisited.
Week 7. The Conception of Representation in Federalism and Federation.
Recommended reading:
M. Burgess, Comparative Federalism. Theory and Practice, Routledge, New York 2006(chapter: 7 - 8)
The concept of representation in federalism and federation: the concept of representation; the democratic revolution: four models of representation; national and sub-national levels; second chambers and the problem of double-representation. The emergence of the concept of asymmetry; the concepts of symmetry and asymmetry explored; the preconditions of asymmetry; asymmetrical relations today. Conclusion: discussion
Week 8. Swiss model of Federalism
Recommended reading:
M. Burgess, Comparative Federalism. Theory and Practice, Routledge, New York 2006
Th. Fleiner-Gerster, Switzerland a Country with federal Experiences, in: Federalism in Europe: Traditions, Structures, Perspectives, Tuebingen 1994.
Switzerland: constitution of the Federal State and Cantons; federalism as basis of the Swiss Federation; preserving cantonal identity; relationship between the Federal Government and Cantons; sovereignty of the Cantons; cantonal and federal responsibility. Cantons: taking part in the Federal decision-making process. Conclusion for EU
Week 9. Federalism and Decentralization/Devolution as Modern Constitutionl and Administrative Arrangements
Recommended reading:
M. Burgess, Comparative Federalism. Theory and Practice, Routledge, New York 2006
Th. Fleiner-Gerster, Switzerland a Country with federal Experiences, in: Federalism in Europe: Traditions, Structures, Perspectives, Tuebingen 1994.
Online resources also will be provided.
Sovereignty and subsidiarity problem. State character of federal units: autonomy and financial sovereignty; decentralization of the decision-making power; Particiation of the federal units in establishing (their) new obligations; responsibility of the member state as such to national government.The subsidiary principle should be connected with well-developed civil society active in the political sphere (via a system of political parties) as well as in the public sphere (via a system of public associations), on all the levels of the federal structure – from local, via regional and state, to European-wide structures.
Week 10. Federalism and the Problem of the minorities.
Recommended reading:
M. Burgess, Comparative Federalism. Theory and Practice, Routledge, New York 2006
Th. Fleiner-Gerster, Switzerland a Country with federal Experiences, in: Federalism in Europe: Traditions, Structures, Perspectives, Tuebingen 1994.
J. McCormick, Understanding the European Union: A Concise Introduction, Palgrave Macmillan, 5th edition, 2011,
Th. Lane and M.S. Wolański (ed.), Poland and European Unity: Ideas and Reality, Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Wrocławskiego, Wrocław 2007.
Online resources will be provided. Discussion in groups is planned.
Week 11-13. The European Union as a Federal Model and Lessons of Experience.
Recommended reading:
M. Burgess, Comparative Federalism. Theory and Practice, Routledge, New York 2006(chapter: 9 - 10)
The European Union as a federal model: Monnet?s Europe and its political implications; history and theory: is the bottle half-empty or half-full?The Constitutional Treaty: mistakes and misunderstandings – discussion. Federalism, democracy and the state in the era of Globalization: globalization and global governance: between integration and fragmentation. EU: federalism, confederalism and federation; multilevel governance in the EU. Conclusion.
Week 14. The Future of the EU.
Recommended reading:W. Bokajło, What Kind of Federalism for Europe (in:) Th. Lane and M.S. Wolański (ed.), Poland and European Unity: Ideas and Reality, Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Wrocławskiego, Wrocław 2007.
J. McCormick, Understanding the European Union: A Concise Introduction, Palgrave Macmillan, 5th edition, 2011,
The criticism of the of the reduction of federalism to the theory of Federal Government which, in turn, I routinely based on the model of government of the United States; ‘Federalists sins of Federal Government’: government overload, weak power legitimacy (because lack of active civil society), centralist tendencies. The problem of the European federalism: how to integrate heterogeneous societies? Proposition of the problem’s solution: to combine the Kinsky’s model of federalism with philosophy of subsidiarity as a base of developed civil society to becomes both the guarantee of real autonomy of the states and diversity within the future federal EU. Disscusin.
Week 15. Organizational meeting.
V. COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Students will have to prepare an essay (2000 words) which will refer to the course subject and oral exam (individual discussion) .
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