ABSTRACT
The need to decentralize is felt in all systems of government, though the responses made by different states to that need differ greatly. Demands for decentralization to regions and for the creation of intermediate levels of government thus extend beyond nationalist movements and demands for autonomy to national territories. Regionalism has origins which are quite distinct from the aspirations of nationalist movements, and constitutes a political demand for devolved powers to governments at the intermediate level, that is, with jurisdictions larger than those of existing municipal authorities. We have ‘functional’ regionalism with institutions set up at the regional level to serve the administrative needs of the centre. Federalism may constitute a further development of regionalism when it is thought necessary to limit the power of central government by constitutional means. Clearly, federalism constitutes a delicate balance between the autonomy of constituent territories and complete integration under a sovereign national government.
