Unitary system of Government

Meaning of Unitary Government

Unitary system of government is a system of government in which all governmental powers are concentrated in the hands of a single authority or central government. The central government has all the constitutional powers, assumes supremacy over all other subordinates units and makes laws for the entire state.

In unitary government powers are not shared between the central government and other component units. Unitary government adopts a unitary constitution. Examples of unitary states are Britain, Ghana, the Gambia, France, Belgium, Italy, New Zealand, Sweden, Sierra Leone, Ethiopia, Togo, Cameroun, etc.

Main Features or Characteristics of Unitary Government

The following are the features or characteristics of unitary government.

1. All governmental powers are concentrated in the hands of a single authority or central government.
2. There is no constitutional division of powers between the central government and the local regions.
3. The central government is the only source from which power emanates.
4. The central government can delegate powers to other subordinate bodies.
5. The constitution need not necessary be supreme, for the central government may have power to modify it.
6. The constitution need not be rigid.
7. There is no judicial review
8. The citizens owe allegiance to only one government; that is, the central government.
9. It is best practiced in a homogenous state where there are no sharp differences in religion, language and political belief.
10. A unitary government adopts a unitary constitution.
11. The various units into which the nation is divided for administrative purposes are created by the central government.
12. There is parliamentary supremacy in a unitary state.

EVALUATION

1. Define unitary system of government.
2. State six features of unitary system of government.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Unitary Government

Advantages or Merits of Unitary Government

1. Stronger and Stable Government:Unitary system of government tends to be stronger and more stable than federal system of government. This is because the citizens show loyalty to the central government.
2. Reduction in Cost: The cost of running a unitary system of government is reduced because there is no duplication of government and offices.
3. Quicker Decisions are Made:Quicker decisions are made because the single authority into which power is concentrated need not consult any other authority before taking decisions.
4. Promotion of National Unity: The system promotes patriotism as a result of absence of tribalism, sectionalism associated with federalism and these give rise to national unity.
5. Simple to Operate:Unitary government is easy to operate and less cumbersome because it does not require too much financial and manpower resources unlike federalism.
6. Avoids Waste of Human and Material Resources:This is as a result of the fact that Unitarianism does not involve unnecessary duplication of government offices.
7. Foster the Spirit of Oneness: The citizens in a country that adopts unitary system of government look to themselves as one.
8. It Has Flexible Constitution: This is an advantage to a unitary government because the constitution can easily and cheaply be amended to suit the changing social, political and economic situation of a country
9. Uniformity in the Level of Development: All parts of a country that adopts unitary system of government tend to develop at the same pace.

Disadvantages or Demerits of Unitary Government

1. The Central Government is Over Burdened: The central government is overloaded with too much problems as a result of concentration of all governmental powers in one single authority.
2. Encouragement of Dictatorship: It leads to dictatorship as a result of concentration of powers in a single authority.
3. Does not Suit Large Territories: Unitary system of government is only suitable for countries with small sizes not for countries with large population, wide geographical areas, diverse language, culture, etc.
4. Government is Kept Far Away from the People: Unlike federalism, Unitarianism places government far away from the people especially those in interior parts of the country.
5. It Kills Local Initiatives: Since there is only one decision making body at the centre, good initiatives from the local areas will be overlooked.
6. It does not Encourage Wider Representation: Unitary government does not give room for wider representation of the people in the government as a result of the fact that there is only one level of government-the central government.
7. Leads to Domination of Minority Groups: The minority groups in a country that adopts a unitary system of government are dominated by the majority.
8. It Causes Dissatisfaction: It causes dissatisfaction among the various units of a country as a result of the concentration of governmental power in one single authority that may be made up of people from one area.
9. Is Prone to Political Instability:Unitarianism if adopted in a multi-ethnic and multi-lingual country, will lead to political instability because of the dissatisfaction it causes

EVALUATION

1. Highlight five advantages of unitary system of government.
2. List and explain five disadvantages of unitary system of government.

Factors Responsible for the Success of Unitary Government

The following must be taken into consideration to have a successful unitary form of government.

1. Homogeneity of Society: That is where there is a great deal of similarity in language, culture, religion and attitude.
2. Size of the Country: A unitary system of government operates best in a country with fairly small size for example Togo, Ghana, etc.
3. Common Language and Culture:Common language and culture bind people together and these give rise to the adoption of unitary system of government.
4. Common History:Unitary system of government operates better in an environment where the citizens of the country have a common history.
5. Absence of Minority Groups:Where there are no minority groups, unitary system of government can work well.
6. Loyalty to the Central Government: Unitary system of government works very well in countries where the citizens show strong loyalty to the central government.

Resource Control in a Unitary System of Government

Resource control is the control and management of resources by the central or local government. In a unitary system of government, resources are controlled by the central government. The central government in the system has absolute control over the resources of the subordinate governments. The subordinate governments only exercise the power given to them by the central government.

EVALUATION

1. Explain resource control in unitary system of government.
2. Identify and explain four factors responsible for the success of unitary system of government.

GENERAL EVALUATION

1. What is unitary system of government?
2. State five features of unitary government.
3. Highlight five factors responsible for the success of unitary government.
4. Explain resource control in unitary government.
5. Mention five disadvantages of unitary government.
6. Why do some West African countries adopt the unitary system of government while others do not?