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unitary state, a system of political organization in which most or all of the governing power resides in a centralized government, in contrast to a federal state. A brief treatment of the unitary state follows. For additional discussion, see Political system: Unitary nation-states; federation; confederation.
- Federalism
federalism, mode of political organization that unites...
- Federation
A contrast between federation and confederation—words...
- Federalism
The unitary state still has local and regional governmental offices, but these are under the direct control or authority of the central government. The United Kingdom is one example of a unitary nation. Parliament holds the governing power in the U.K., granting power to and removing it from the local governments when it sees fit. France is also ...
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- Examples of Unitary States
- Unitary States vs. Federations
- Unitary States vs. Authoritarian States
- Pros and Cons
Of the 193 member countries of the United Nations, 165 are unitary states. The United Kingdom and France are two well-recognized examples.
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 affa...
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. Authoritari...
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.
Other democratic countries with unitary systems, such as France, Japan, and Sweden, have followed a similar path of decentralization. Figure 1. There are three general systems of government—unitary systems, federations, and confederations—each of which allocates power differently.
- OpenStax
- 2016
Nov 21, 2023 · Unitary government is the most popular form of spatial organization of power in a country, Nowadays, 170 out of 195 sovereign countries (or 87%) have a unitary government. Nearly all countries ...
- What is the main difference between federal and confederal?The main difference is how much power constituent units vs. national government have. In a confederacy, power and sovereignty belong primarily to t...
- Is the EU a confederation or federation?The EU (European Union) is a union of states. It has some features of a traditional international organization and some features of a federal state...
- What countries are confederal?Nowadays there are no confederal countries (confederations), but some historical examples include Switzerland (in 1291-1848), union of Sweden and N...
- What are examples of unitary government?Most countries around the world are unitary. Under a unitary government, power and sovereignty belong primarily to the national government. Some ex...
- Who has the power in unitary government?In a unitary government, all power belongs in principle to the central (national) government. It does not mean that there are no smaller units (e.g...
- Which countries are confederations?Nowadays there are no confederations. Some historical examples include Serbia and Montenegro (2003-06), German Confederation (1815-1866), or the Un...
A unitary system of government is less costly since there are no various levels of government bureaucracy typical to federations. Unitary states and municipalities can function more efficiently, lowering their tax burden on citizens. Easier Implementation of Laws. There is no difference between federal and state government policies in a unitary ...
A unitary state is a sovereign state governed as a single entity in which the central government is the supreme authority. The central government may create or abolish administrative divisions (sub-national units). Such units exercise only the powers that the central government chooses to delegate.
