ABSTRACT
Ronald Watts was a pioneer and the most esteemed scholar of comparative federalism of our lifetime. This chapter argues that his ability to be the great comparative federalism scholar, and his influence as an international adviser, stems from four factors. First, his studies of federations in the Global South and North. Second, his broad grasp of federalism, which was pragmatic, as opposed to purist or ideologue. Third, his approach to federalism was based on values, more than it was on formal institutions. Although their design was important, what was more important to him were the underlying values that make federalism work: democracy, non-centralism, and constitutionalism. Finally, the values and practices that work for federalism were also his own: civility, friendship, and generosity. Watts was a founder of and contributed to building strong networks of federal scholars such as the IACFS and the Forum of Federations.
