Centre-Region Conflicts

The Fight for Control

Residents of a region with Regional Government-L4 also elect the politicians in Central Government-L5. So central and regional politicians must fight for the same electors.

In the absence of communalist values, endemic central/regional conflicts must be expected. Wherever there is a regional legislature, the central government will seek to gain more and more control over it.

ClosedSome Methods of Central Control

Assertion of Identity

  • If there is only a national legislature and no L4-territories or regional government, there may still be sub-cultures in society. The national government should recognize cultural differences within the country, and pass laws that take cognizance of those differences. If cognizance of genuine cultural differences does not occur, then agitation is likely and violence may emerge. 
  • Any L4-region wishing to exert any sovereign power is, in effect, desiring to secede so as to set up a separate L5-nation-state. Nation-states typically resist such separatist claims, despite the agitation and violence. Wikipedia lists a large number of secessionist and separatist movements. US states have recently started introducing bills and resolutions “declaring sovereignty under the 10th Amendment”.
  • Should a sub-regional territory within a country feel itself culturally distinct, then it will naturally strive to obtain L4-regional legislative powers for itself. If the country has, or could have, constituent-states, then the L5-nation-state may agree; if not, then it won’t. The nation-state then tries to handle the resulting pressures in various ways.
    ClosedExamples

If disparate cultures are forced under the rule of a single political regime, then that self-proclaimed Nation-L5 is better termed an Empire-L5. There will be continuous pressures to break up the empire, possibly violent at times.

Empires treat L5-territories as if they were L4-territories and that violates how communities think of themselves. At some point, the ruling regime may become either unable or unwilling to use force to hold the empire together. Break up then follows naturally.
ClosedExamples:

Originally posted: August-2009; Last updated: 15-Nov-2010