XII humanities - 2022 St.
Joseph’s High School Political Science
Chapter TWO
Forms of Government – Unitary and federal states
Overview
Unitary state
Meaning
Features
U.K as unitary state – features
Federal state
Meaning
Features
USA as federal state – features
India – federal state with subsidiary unitary features
Federal characteristics
Unitary features
Comparison between unitary and federal states
TERMINOLOGY
Unitary Federal Quasi Federal
Centralisation Coming together federation Holding together federation
written constitution Unwritten constitution Flexible constitution
Rigid constitution partly rigid and partly flexible constitution Division of power
Amendment Impartial and independent judiciary Dual administration
Dual Citizenship Bicameral legislature Unicameral legislature
Symmetric representation Asymmetric representation Congress
Senate Residuary powers emergency provisions
Financial emergency State emergency National emergency
Integrated judiciary Niti Ayog Single citizenship
Dual citizenship Philadelphia convention Comptroller Auditor general
US Congress Election Commission Concurrent list
Single uniform administration Union list State list
IMPORTANT DATES
November 1989 July 2004 1st June 2014
1956 1962
IMPORTANT ARTICLES
Article 1 Article 3 Article 368
Article 352 Article 356 Article 360
Article 312
ABBREVIATION
CAG UPA GST
Compiled by Ms. Dharitri Priyadarshini
XII humanities - 2022 St. Joseph’s High School Political Science
UNITARY STATE
Meaning – state with all powers vested in the centre
SALIENT FEATURES
1. Single central all powerful government
2. Local government exist at the will of the centre
3. Constitution may be written or unwritten
4. Flexibility of constitution and administration
5. Single uniform administration
MERITS
1. Strong government
2. Single administration
3. Simple, less expensive system
4. Flexibility of administration
5. Suitable for small states
6. Responsible government
7. Useful at meeting emergencies
DEMERITS
1. Powerful central government can lead to dictatorship
2. Danger of inefficiency
3. Ignores local needs
4. Unsuitable for big states
5. More dependent on bureaucracy
6. Less political participation from people
7. Less local autonomy and initiative
ASSIGNMENT 1
1. The habitual exercise of supreme legislative authority by one central power is called a ____________ state.
2. In a unitary state, there is _______ legislature, ____________ executive and ___________ judiciary for the
whole country.
3. The powers of local government depend on the wishes of __________ government.
4. According to C.F Strong, state the two essential qualities of a unitary state.
5. In a unitary state there is no special need for a written constitution. Why?
6. Because of its advantages, some federal constitutions such as that of India provide for temporary
transformation of federalism into _________________________ to meet ______________.
7. Name the big country which has unitary government.
8. Give examples of unitary states of the world.
9. The administration of a unitary state is ___ in organisation and _______ in its approach toward all national
and local issues.
10. The ___________ alone has the power to amend the constitution of the state.
Compiled by Ms. Dharitri Priyadarshini
