English Local Government Example

English Local Government Example English Local Government â€" Essay Example > The spread of democratic ideas and subsequently ideals, and the emergence of a global system of economy and politics because of complex interdependence have contributed to the resurgence of the local government. One of the major forms of decentralization in the twentieth century has been the break up of empires and colonies into nation- states, the most recent example being the break up of the Soviet Union and the separation of Kosovo from Serbia. The pressure for pursuing and adopting democracy as a political ideology and system has led to a new emphasis on local governance below the level of the nation- state. The rise of the global political economy has provided localities with another alternative to the traditional national capitals that have existed for quite some time now. According to Teune, although the patterns of local governance have similar features of provincial and local governments, the push for democracy will give local politics a greater role in the issues of peac e and prosperity than has been true during the long recent period of the rise in authority of nation- states. Local governments and domestic politics have become focal points of current day democratic political development. The two primary reasons for this are: firstly, the beginnings of a second democratic revolution that is solely based on participation, and secondly, the emergence of a global political economy that defines local conditions for peace and prosperity. The former requires local self determination rather than top- bottom direction whereas the latter frees localities from national governments by providing alternatives for resources and support; the new sources being other countries or international agencies. The question and perhaps the existence of local democracies have become crucial in the newly established democracies, whose shaky and rather weak national democratic institutions are based on weak traditions of local autonomy. Many former Communist countries of c entral and Eastern Europe and Central Asia are in the complex processes of just establishing democratic institutions. However, what are lacking in these countries are structures of civic societies- private associations, political parties, and interest groups which, in most of the cases were destroyed by totalitarian political regimes. Other parts of the world are also under global pressures to become more democratic by altering the course of their efforts of the past decades to develop politically by building stronger states and effective, rational national policies for economic growth and welfare for the poor. Moreover, there is a new democratically established Latin America, democratically elected governments are being established in southern Africa, and several former authoritarian countries in Asia are taking effective steps from the top down to become more democratic. In addition, heavy welfare states in Northern Europe have been forced to reduce the economic role of central g overnments in order to participate in newer European political institutions. In the United States, the debate over federalism and the role of the government has again gained substantial momentum in the political agenda. However, throughout the last two decades, Britain or the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland had gained notoriety as one of the most centralized nation- state societies in Europe. Shortly after New Labor’s landslide leap to power in 1997, this unitary but multinational state was granted with a comprehensive program of constitutional ‘modernization’ consisting of an elected Parliament for Scotland, a National Assembly for Wales, an Assembly for Northern Ireland, an elected Assembly and Mayor for London, along with Regional Development Agencies for the eight English regions (MacLeod). In becoming more decentralized and when it comes to local and regional politics, the big question arises whether or not the local and regional media exercise powe r without any responsibility.