Federalism - Class 10 Social Science (Political Science) Notes
Concepts of Federalism
Federalism: Federalism is a system of government in which power is divided between a central authority and various constituent units of the country.
➥ In a federal system, the central and state governments both have the authority to make laws, and their powers and responsibilities are clearly defined.
Unitary Government
➥ A unitary government is a system where all powers are held by a single central authority.
➥ The central government may delegate powers to local authorities, but the central government retains the ultimate authority.
eg: - Srilanka, China
Features of Federalism
- Two or More Levels of Government: There are at least two levels of government – central and state – that govern the same citizens but have their jurisdictions specified by the constitution.
- Jurisdiction: Each level of government has its jurisdiction in specific matters of legislation, taxation, and administration.
- Constitutional Status: The constitution clearly lays down the powers and responsibilities of each level of government. No unilateral changes can be made by any one level.
- Financial Autonomy: Each level of government has the authority to raise its revenue through taxes and other means.
- Independent Judiciary: An independent judiciary ensures that the constitution is upheld and resolves disputes between different levels of government.
Evolution of Federalism in India
Post-1990 Era: This era marked the beginning of a new culture of power sharing and respect for the autonomy of state governments.
1992 Amendment: The constitution was amended to create a third tier of government, making local government bodies (Panchayats and Municipalities) more powerful and effective. Regular elections are now mandatory for these bodies, and seats are reserved for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes.
Objectives of Federalism
- To safeguard and promote the unity of the country.
- To accommodate regional diversity.
Types of Federations
- 1. Coming Together Federations: Independent states come together on their own to form a larger unit, retaining significant independence. Examples include the USA, Switzerland, and Australia.
- 2. Holding Together Federations: A large country decides to divide its power between the central government and the states or provinces. Examples include India, Spain, and Belgium.
What Makes India a Federal Country?
India is a federal country because the powers of the Union and State Governments are specified in the Constitution and they have exclusive jurisdiction on their respective subjects.
Distribution of Legislative Powers Between Center and State
The distribution of legislative power between the center and the states is specified in three lists:
- Union List: Subjects of national importance such as defense, banking, and communications.
- State List: Subjects of state and local importance such as police and agriculture.
- Concurrent List: Subjects of common interest to both the Union and State Governments such as education, forests, trade, and marriages.
Residuary Subjects
Subjects that are not mentioned in any of the three lists are known as residuary subjects. The power to legislate on these subjects rests with the Union Government.
Union Territories
Union Territories are regions that are governed directly by the Central Government. These regions do not have the same powers as states.
To Make Changes in the Power Sharing Arrangement
The power sharing arrangement can only be changed with the consent of both the Union and State Governments, ensuring a balance of power.
How is Federalism Practiced?
Linguistic States
India has been reorganized into states based on linguistic lines to accommodate the diverse languages spoken across the country.
Language Policy
The language policy in India is one of accommodation, allowing the use of multiple languages for official purposes and recognizing 22 scheduled languages in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution.
Center-State Relations
Center-state relations are defined by the constitution and ensure a balance of power. The central government can intervene in state matters during emergencies.
Decentralization in India
➥ In 1992, the Constitution was amended to make the third tier of government more effective. The following points highlight the key aspects of decentralization:
- It is now mandatory to hold regular elections for local government bodies.
- Seats are reserved for Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC).
- State governments are required to share power and revenue with local government bodies.
Exercises - NCERT Question with Answer
- Similarity: Both India and Belgium have multiple levels of government with defined powers and responsibilities.
- Difference: In Belgium, the division of power is more balanced between the central and regional governments, while in India, the central government holds more significant power over the states.
In a federal form of government, power is divided between a central authority and various constituent units, with each level having its autonomy and specific powers, e.g., the United States. In a unitary form of government, all powers are centralized, and the central government holds significant authority over any administrative divisions, e.g., France.
- Before the 1992 amendment, local governments had limited powers and often functioned at the discretion of the state governments.
- After the 1992 amendment, local governments were given constitutional status with more autonomy, mandatory regular elections, and reserved seats for marginalized groups.
Since the United States is a __________ type of federation, all constituent states have equal powers and states are __________ vis-à-vis the federal government. But India is a __________ type of federation, and some states have more power than others. In India, the __________ government has more powers.
Since the United States is a coming together type of federation, all constituent states have equal powers and states are strong vis-à-vis the federal government. But India is a holding together type of federation, and some states have more power than others. In India, the central government has more powers.
- Sangeeta: The policy of accommodation has strengthened national unity.
- Arman: Language-based states have divided us by making everyone conscious of their language.
- Harish: This policy has only helped to consolidate the dominance of English over all other languages.
Supporting Sangeeta's position: The policy of accommodation has allowed diverse linguistic groups to coexist peacefully, promoting national unity. For example, the inclusion of multiple languages in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution recognizes and respects the country's linguistic diversity, thereby fostering a sense of belonging among different language speakers.
- National government gives some powers to the provincial governments.
- Power is distributed among the legislature, executive, and judiciary.
- Elected officials exercise supreme power in the government.
- Governmental power is divided between different levels of government.
(d) Governmental power is divided between different levels of government.
- Union List: Defence, Banking, Communications
- State List: Police, Agriculture
- Concurrent List: Education, Forests, Trade, Marriages
Use the provided list to identify the correctly and incorrectly matched pairs.
- List I
- 1. Union of India
- 2. State
- 3. Municipal Corporation
- 4. Gram Panchayat
- List II
- A. Prime Minister
- B. Sarpanch
- C. Governor
- D. Mayor
- 1 - A: Prime Minister
- 2 - C: Governor
- 3 - D: Mayor
- 4 - B: Sarpanch
- A. In a federation, the powers of the federal and provincial governments are clearly demarcated.
- B. India is a federation because the powers of the Union and State Governments are specified in the Constitution and they have exclusive jurisdiction on their respective subjects.
- C. Sri Lanka is a federation because the country is divided into provinces.
- D. India is no longer a federation because some powers of the States have been devolved to the local government bodies.
- A, B, and C
- A, C, and D
- A and B only
- B and C only
(c) A and B only
