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Unitary Form of Government

In a unitary form of government: 1) All power is concentrated in the central government according to the constitution, with local governments only having powers granted by the central government. 2) This leads to a strong central government but also a risk of the central government becoming despotic. 3) Unitary governments are more efficient and less expensive than federal systems, but they also lack local autonomy, are not well-suited to large and diverse countries, and do not provide citizens with as much political education.

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2K views3 pages

Unitary Form of Government

In a unitary form of government: 1) All power is concentrated in the central government according to the constitution, with local governments only having powers granted by the central government. 2) This leads to a strong central government but also a risk of the central government becoming despotic. 3) Unitary governments are more efficient and less expensive than federal systems, but they also lack local autonomy, are not well-suited to large and diverse countries, and do not provide citizens with as much political education.

Uploaded by

Arif.hossen 30
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Unitary Form of Government

In a unitary government, the powers of the government are not distributed between the
center and the states under the constitution. Power, in such cases, is concentrated in the
center only. It depends upon the will of the central government to give some powers to
local governments for bringing about efficiency in the government. There is, therefore, no
question of constitutional conflicts between the center and the states, because
constitutionally the central government is all powerful. According to Professor Willoughby,
“In unitary government, all the powers of government are conferred in the first instance
upon a single central government and that government is left in complete freedom to effect
such a distribution of these powers, territorially as in its opinion is wise”. We observe a
number of unitary governments in countries like England, Japan, Italy, Sweden, Denmark,
Belgium, Holland, France, Italy, Bangladesh etc.

Merits of a unitary government


The following are the merits of a unitary government:
1. Strong Government: In unitary government, all the powers of the government
are in the hands of the center under the constitution. Therefore, a powerful
government is established at the center in this form of government. The central
government is responsible for foreign policy, defense and maintenance of internal
peace, law and order.
2. Less Expensive: In a unitary government, there is only one parliament and
cabinet for the country. Therefore, this government is less expensive as compared
to Federal form of government. Moreover, there are no separate legislatures and
cabinets for the province.
3. Efficient Administration: In this government, the administration becomes
efficient, because there are no conflicts between the center and the state and the
states are to abide by the orders and directions of the center. There is, therefore,
no delay in the administration and centers take decisions very quickly. The center
appoints efficient officials who remove all the administrative ills.
4. Single citizenship: There is a double citizenship in a federal form of government
and every citizen is the citizen of his country as well as of the state in which he
lives. For instance, there is double citizenship in the USA and every American
citizen is the citizen of his country as well as of his state. In a unitary government
system, there is a single citizenship of the country. In such a system, there is no
separate citizenship of states.
5. Administrative uniformity: Another advantage of a unitary form of government
is uniformity in the administration, because there is no dual government in it. It
means there is only one parliament for making laws and one cabinet to run the
administration of the entire country. There is no provision of separate
legislatures and cabinets for the province. Provincial governors and
administrators are to act according to the order of the center. In a unitary
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government, there are only one administration services for the whole of the
country.
6. Prompt Decisions: In a unitary government, prompt decisions are taken because
the entire power is in the hands of the center. This type of government is best
suited to face crises.
7. Most suited to small countries: Unitary government is quite suitable for small
countries, because it establishes organizations and unity after ending all
differences.
8. More flexible: In unitary government, constitution is not as rigid as it is in a
federal government. Thus constitution is amended without any difficulty
according to the demands of particular situations and it can be kept in harmony
with the public opinion.
9. Follows a vigorous home and foreign policy: In a unitary government, the
central government can follow a vigorous home and foreign policy without any
hindrance of the provincial governments.

Demerits of unitary government


1. Apprehension of the central government becoming despotic: Due to
centralization of power, there is constant apprehension of central government
becoming despotic in nature in a unitary government. Ramsay Muir says that
dictatorship of the cabinet has been established in England and France. President
Charles De Gaulle of France concentrated many powers in his own hands. It is
evident that because of the centralization of powers, the tendency of absolutism
flourishes to a great extent.
2. The central government becomes overburdened with works: In a unitary
government, the division of powers between the center and the states is not like
that of a federal government with the result that state governments are to wait
for the orders of the center in many maters. The center has to perform many such
tasks as are performed by the state government and local government in a federal
form of government. Thus, the functions of the central government are increased
considerably. Many important tasks are ignored. There is also delay in carrying
out the administrative policies.
3. Lack of local autonomy: In a unitary government, sometimes local self-
government is ignored, because the central government has no time to devote
attention to local matters. Besides, the local administration is run by the
administrators appointed by the central government and people have no share in
the government. Thus, people take no interest in local matters.
4. More influence of the government officials: In unitary government, provincial
and local administrations are run by the government officials and not by the
representatives of the people. This does not give enough opportunity to the
people to take part in the administration. Moreover, there is a great influence of
the governmental officials.
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5. Not suitable for the big states: There are much diversity in India, Russia and the
USA. Unitary government is not suitable for such countries because separate
legislatures are to be organized for the units to satisfy varied elements. Besides,
local self-government is also to be given. For this reason, federal form of
government is more suitable than the unitary form of government for big
countries.
6. The people do not get much political education in unitary government as
they get in federal government: In a federal government, there is a separate
legislature at the center as well as in the units (states). Since there is no separate
legislature in the states and there is less local self-government in unitary type of
government, elections are also held less frequently. Thus the people and their
representatives do not receive as much political education as they receive in a
federal government.

Dr. Garner has given the defects of unitary government in these words, “Unitary
government tends to repress local initiative, discourages rather than stimulates interest in
public affairs, impairs the vitality of government and facilitates the development of a
centralized bureaucracy’.

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