Introduction
Any citizens in Canada claim that a unitary government is superior to the existing federal system. As a consequence, it is important to consider the benefits that render one system superior to the other. However, this research paper contends that in Canada, a federal political system is superior to a unitary system because it allows for the decentralization of authority, which aids in the representation of all citizen groups, gives various areas more independence, allows for division of labor, and offers a forum for creativity and invention.
Research on the topic
A unitary political system has the advantage of fostering unity in Canada, something that may be affected by a federal system. In particular, a unitary system does not provide room for economic, social and political division among different states, a factor that may lead to the disintegration of a country and in effect, resulting to political instability (Smith, 2014).On the other hand, the point of unity comes at a large expense as far as decentralization of power, involving, social, economic and political power is concerned. Thus, there are more benefits that a federal government provides than presumed unity. Firstly, decentralization of power makes it possible for the government to be near the people it governs. The good thing with this is that it makes it possible to understand their problem better than it can be in a central government where decisions are made at the national government, where challenges facing regions perceived to be unpopular can easily be overlooked (Watts, 2015). It is the reason that makes it prudent to argue that, although the unitary political system has got advantages, it is still not a better system than a federal one.On the other hand, a unitary political system can reduce conflict that may arise between different states for various reasons, some of which include competition and culture. It is important for any state to control conflict that arises from different regions as this is not healthy for any country. To foster economic growth and development, it is important that all parts of the country work in harmony despite their different culture and preference among various population groups that exist within a country (Wolff, 2013). It is one of the advantages that come with a unitary form of government.On the other hand, it is worth noting that different population groups have different aspirations, cultures, and ethnicity. As such, having a federal government makes it possible to cater for the needs of each state depending on their needs. For instance, same-sex marriages or use of marijuana may be highly recommended in certain cultures but not in others. Thus, a federal political system is the best for this case to settle any disagreement that may arise within states and between states and national government (Lijphart, 2012). Additionally, it gives room for all people to carry out their affairs as they deem fit instead of submitting to rules and regulations that may be unpopular and unwelcome. For this reason, the federal government in Canada serves them better than a unitary one.In addition to that, there are disadvantages associated with a federal form of government, for instance, the system is ineffective in maximizing use of resources. Although advantages exist in a unitary political government, it is ineffective in allowing division of labor. For instance, Canada is one of the largest countries in the world going by its size. Thus, it would be highly ineffective for the country to assume that a central government can use resources of every region optimally. Also, the system does not enhance experimentations and innovation of different parts of the country, since, by allowing various approaches to working, it becomes easier to compare between the methods and determine which one works better (Bickerton, & Gagnon, 2014). It is one of the major disadvantages of a unitary form of government.On the other hand, a federal political system allows division of labor when looking at regional and central government. The result of this is that it makes it possible for optimum use of resources. In addition to that, as the government put more effort on international affairs, local governments will be in a position to take care of local needs (Hooghe, & Marks, 2012). In addition to that, the different local government may have varying approaches to tackle the problem. Thus, the two methods can be compared in a bid to determine which approach works better. For these reasons and the one stated above, when compared based on advantages and disadvantages of a unitary political system, it is evident that for any country, and in particular, Canada, need to continue with a federal system.
Conclusion
Therefore, a federal political system is better than a unitary system in Canada because it allows decentralization of power something that helps in better representation of all population groups, gives different regions more freedom, allows division of labor and provides a platform for experimentation and innovation. Although a unitary one has various advantages, ranging from political stability to reducing conflict, the advantages generate other problems that can be solved by a federal government. Lastly, a unitary political system is not good for the economy as it does not ensure optimal use of resources. On the other hand, a federal one ensures optimal use of resources and fosters innovation making it a better system than the other.
References
Bickerton, J., & Gagnon, A. G. (Eds.). (2014). Canadian politics. University of Toronto Press.
Hooghe, L., & Marks, G. (2012). Beyond federalism: Estimating and explaining the territorial structure of government. Publius: The Journal of Federalism, 43(2), 179-204
Lijphart, A. (2012). Patterns of democracy: Government forms and performance in thirty-six countries. Yale University Press.
Smith, G. (2014). Federalism: the multiethnic challenge. Routledge.
Watts, R. L. (2015). Comparing Federal Political Systems. Understanding Federalism and Federation, 11.
Wolff, S. (2013). Conflict management in divided societies: The many uses of territorial self-governance. International Journal on Minority and Group Rights, 20(1), 27-50.
