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Post by irishconfederate on Apr 30, 2017 13:56:42 GMT
Decentralised governmental power in the form of devolution can be a great stimulus to a country's economy. One reason for this is that local people have the opportunity to implement local solutions to their local problems where in an over-centralised country the vision and will can be lacking by the centralised government. The second stimulant to the economy due to devolution is that as people see that they have an effect on their local environment this itself creates an entrepreneurial spirit in a people rather than an apathetic one. Such people are much more likely to start up their own businesses if the very structures of government encourage and even teach the implementation of initiative themselves. A third stimulant is that in devolved state structures, due to the devolved power, wealth and access to the media and educational opportunities are much more evenly spread across a country. This naturally prepares each region and district of a country to be ready to have a share in the economy of the nation as a whole. Many writers have drawn on the decentralised governments of Switzerland and Germany to link them with their successes but there are other instances across the globe that illustrate the link between self-government and economic success. The economic advantages with regard to federalism will have to be put to our countrymen, especially in the current financial climate, - maybe we could try to develop that here:
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Post by Young Ireland on May 2, 2017 21:18:59 GMT
Decentralised governmental power in the form of devolution can be a great stimulus to a country's economy. One reason for this is that local people have the opportunity to implement local solutions to their local problems where in an over-centralised country the vision and will can be lacking by the centralised government. The second stimulant to the economy due to devolution is that as people see that they have an effect on their local environment this itself creates an entrepreneurial spirit in a people rather than an apathetic one. Such people are much more likely to start up their own businesses if the very structures of government encourage and even teach the implementation of initiative themselves. A third stimulant is that in devolved state structures, due to the devolved power, wealth and access to the media and educational opportunities are much more evenly spread across a country. This naturally prepares each region and district of a country to be ready to have a share in the economy of the nation as a whole. Many writers have drawn on the decentralised governments of Switzerland and Germany to link them with their successes but there are other instances across the globe that illustrate the link between self-government and economic success. The economic advantages with regard to federalism will have to be put to our countrymen, especially in the current financial climate, - maybe we could try to develop that here:
Another reason I think is competition: there is much greater incentive to try and outdo your rivals in a federal structure than in a structure whereby most of the pie goes to the capital. If all economic decisions are made far away, at some point people will become apathetic and communities will decline as we can see all over Ireland. |
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Post by Assisi on May 9, 2017 18:40:46 GMT
I think it would be a good idea to have a thread that listed some of the successes of devolved powers at a regional or local level. The reason I say this is because, although I am convinced that devolved powers can not only stimulate localities economically but they can also develop a community spirit that is crucial to the spiritual and healthy wellbeing of people, something that you cannot put a price on.
However if someone was to ask me for concrete examples of successful implementations or benefits of a decentralised system, anywhere in the world, I would struggle to name them. Moreover it could be said that up here in N.Ireland, the devolved system at Stormont has been a failure and there is now talk of returning to direct rule. There would need to be a robust defence of decentralisation available, and such a thread, of successes from all around the world, would help in doing that.
As regards NI, Stormont is not, in my opinion, a healthy example of decentralised power as it is rather a convoluted set up, where political decisions always have to try and placate two distinct cultures.
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Post by Young Ireland on May 9, 2017 21:29:08 GMT
I think it would be a good idea to have a thread that listed some of the successes of devolved powers at a regional or local level. The reason I say this is because, although I am convinced that devolved powers can not only stimulate localities economically but they can also develop a community spirit that is crucial to the spiritual and healthy wellbeing of people, something that you cannot put a price on. However if someone was to ask me for concrete examples of successful implementations or benefits of a decentralised system, anywhere in the world, I would struggle to name them. Moreover it could be said that up here in N.Ireland, the devolved system at Stormont has been a failure and there is now talk of returning to direct rule. There would need to be a robust defence of decentralisation available, and such a thread, of successes from all around the world, would help in doing that. As regards NI, Stormont is not, in my opinion, a healthy example of decentralised power as it is rather a convoluted set up, where political decisions always have to try and placate two distinct cultures. Then again, look at Wales and Scotland, which seem to be thriving under devolution. I don' doubt your criticisms of Stormont, but even its very existence would set a precedent for devolution south of the border. Unionists would never accept direct rule from Dublin, so Stromont, like you said, will need to be part of any united Ireland. I do agree with you that such a thread would be useful, and I will start one up in the coming days if no-one else has done so. |
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Post by irishconfederate on May 20, 2017 13:55:04 GMT
I think Switzerland and Germany are two good examples of economically successful states that have substantially devolved powers - they both notably have a good spread of initiative, prosperity and population throughout their land.
Are the economic arguments that are put forward in cases proposing "Home Rule" the same arguments that would be made in proposing provincial, regional or district rule? I think they are linked.
Another reason why federalism can stimulate the economy is the way it can develop a sense of identity in one's local areas - this helps people to see life worth developing around them and that it is even worth making acts of love and sacrifice for their local area including in the form of financial investment. However, as Assisi said, the community spirit and its benefits that devolved powers can bring about is, ultimately, priceless.
Another concrete example of the successful implementations or benefits of a decentralised system would be the Faroe Islands. Desmond Fennell wrote a pamphlet on them subtitled 'the arguments for self-government in the provinces & the gaeltacht'.
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