Federalism : History and Current Significance of a Form of Government

The commemoration of the formation of the Union of Utrecht, four hundred years ago on 23 January 1579, was celebrated by many different events. One of these, certainly not the least important to historians, was the holding of an inter­ national congress in Utrecht and Zeist on 8, 9 and 10 May 1979, organized by the Dutch Historical Association. This Association had decided to select a theme which fitted well in the framework of the Union celebrations: federalism, history and current significance of a form of government. For the Union of Utrecht con­ stituted the legal foundation, even the constitution, it is claimed, of the Republic of the United Netherlands, and that commonwealth can undoubtedly be regard­ ed as a very interesting example of a federal form of government. As is evident from the formulation of the congress theme the intention of the or­ ganizers was that attention should be given not only to federal and regional struc­ tures and tendencies in the past but also in the contemporary world. Historical phenomena needed (necessarily) to be viewed in present-day perspective, current problems ought if possible to be seen in historical perspective. There is no doubt that the prevailing view today, at least in the Western World, is to a great extent characterized by a growing dislike of the modern Leviathan, the highly centraliz­ ed, bureaucratic welfare State. The Union Of Utrecht / J.c. Boogman -- Centralisation Et Décentralisation Aux Pays-bas à L'époque Contemporaine / P.j. Verdam -- The Dutch Republic And Antiquity / W. Den Boer -- The Example Of The Dutch Republic For American Federalism / J.w. Schulte Nordholt -- Federalism : Usa Style / Richard B. Morris -- Essai De Synthese De L'évolution De La Réforme De L'état En Belgique De 1961 à 1979 / Jan Van Rompaey -- Der Föderalismus In Der Deutschen Geschichte / Thomas Nipperdey -- Der Föderalismus In Der Schweiz / Peter Stadler -- Ex Uno Plura / J.h. Burns -- La Révolution Française Et La Perception De L'espace National / M. Ozouf -- Conscience Nationale Et Conscience Régionale En France De 1815 à Nos Jours / M. Agulhon -- The Regional Problem In Spain / Raymond Carr -- Der Russiche Vielvölkerstaat Zwischen Zentralismus Und Föderation. Edited By J.c. Boogman, G.n. Van Der Plaat. The Articles Of This Book Based Upon The Papers Delivered To The Federalism Congress (may 1979, Utrecht, Holland), Have Been Published In Bijdragen En Mededelingen Betreffende De Geschiedenis Der Nederlanden, 94 (1979) 3.--t.p. Verso. English, French Or German. Includes Bibliographies. Content: Front Matter....Pages I-V Introduction....Pages 1-4 The Union of Utrecht: its Genesis and Consequences....Pages 5-35 Centralisation et décentralisation aux Pays-Bas � l’époque contemporaine....Pages 37-45 The Dutch Republic and Antiquity....Pages 47-64 The Example of the Dutch Republic for American Federalism....Pages 65-77 Federalism: USA Style....Pages 79-96 Essai de synthèse de l’ évolution de la réforme de l’ état en Belgique de 1961 a 1979....Pages 97-123 Der Föderalismus in der deutschen Geschichte....Pages 125-175 Der Föderalismus in der Schweiz. Entwicklungstendenzen im 19./20. Jahrhundert....Pages 177-188 Ex Uno Plura? The British Experience....Pages 189-215 La Révolution Française et la perception de l’ espace national: fédérations, fédéralisme et stéréotypes régionaux....Pages 217-241 Conscience nationale et conscience régionale en France de 1815 � nos jours....Pages 243-266 The Regional Problem in Spain....Pages 267-287 Der russische Vielvölkerstaat zwischen Zentralismus und Föderation....Pages 289-307