Merits (qualities) of federal governance:
1. Nationality, Unity and local autonomy:
In federal government, there exist double merits of national unity and local autonomy. Its organization has unity. Small states, by clubbing together, can form a big state.
2. Coordination of centralization and decentralization:
Federal government coordinates with centralization and decentralization. In such type of system of government, the subjects of national importance are centralized and those having local importance are decentralized.
3. Administrative Efficiency:
In this form of government, due to power division, all powers are not centralized at one place. These are divided among states. Because of this, the burden on central government lessens and its administrative efficiency is enhanced.
4. Process to make weak states powerful:
In federal government, many small states, by clubbing together, make a strong state, so that they become strong and powerful in themselves.
5. Specially suitable for huge states:
Federal system is especially suitable for huge states, where the people of different languages, religions and cultures live and they have diversities in their interests. National unity is to be established in such states having diversities, and this is possible only through a federal system.
6. Governance does not become autocratic:
In federal form of government, due to division of governance between center and states, government cannot become autocratic.
7. Saving of time and money:
Because of power division in federal system, burden of central government reduces, and as a result, red tap-ism drops, resulting in saving of time. The’federal form of government is also economically beneficial.
8. Political Awareness:
Federal form of government provides its citizens the best political training. Local selfgoverning institutions get more powers. These institutions infuse awareness in citizens towards political problems. As a result, there develops political awareness in them.
9. Step towards world union:
By way of forming big states by joining small states, human outlook gets wider and liberal. In this way, a big (union) state is a step forward in the direction of formation of world union.
10. Repute in International field:
A federal state, by the amalgamation of different states, becomes strong and powerful, hence its importance and glory is enhanced in international sphere.
11. Favourable to democracy:
Federal system is favourable to democracy. This system has done many important works in the direction of making democracy popular.
Demerits of Federal government:
1. Unskilled system of government:
The main defect of federal government is that, due to different governments at the centre and in states, it efficiency reduces. As a result, taking governance-related decisions becomes a lengthy process.
2. To develop a situation of struggle and rebellion:
In this form of government, there is a possibility of conflict and rebellion between union government and states governments.
3. Weak system of government:
Federal government is a weak system. Because of decentralization and separation of powers, a strong government cannot be established.
4. Danger to national unity:
In federal form of government, there is not only division of legal and administrative powers between central and state governments, but also of financial resources. Sometimes, tension prevails on any subject. There is always a fear that a state could rise in rebellion. In the event of provincial feelings going hyper, there arises a danger to the national interest and unity.
5. Improper in Emergency:
In emergency times, federal form of government is regarded unsuitable. In the event of war or any other crisis, quick decisions need to be taken, which are not possible in federal government.
6. Weakness in international field:
In federal government, state is weak in international field. If the pacts and contracts inked with foreign governments are not accepted by the states, decision may suffer delay. By this, repute of state gets harmed in foreign countries.
7. Apprehension of states getting separated:
In federal form of government, in case of lack of strong and skilled leadership of union, there remains a possibility of states of union getting ‘separated’.
8. Conservatism of Judiciary:
In federal government, judiciary is the guardian of the constitution. Judiciary has rights to declare ‘unconstitutional’ any laws formed by the legislature. Sometimes, this orthodoxy of judiciary becomes a hindrance in the development of the country and in making progressive changes.
