Liberalism and Federalism
By Ronald Meinardus and Gerhard Raichle
Federalism in Germany: “The Federal Republic of Germany shall be a democratic and social federal state.” This is one of the key paragraphs of the German constitution, as it establishes the principles the state is based on. The writers of the constitution deemed federalism so important that they included this provision among the few elements that are not amendable under any circumstances. Federalism has long become a part of the Germans’ political culture. Often, they refer their our country simply as “die Bundesrepublik” – the Federal Republic. This shows how central the concept of political decentralization has become for them.In Germany, the 16 federal states have substantial authority. The citizens of the states do not only elect their own state parliaments, who then choose their own state governments headed by veritable prime ministers. Importantly, these politicians wield genuine political power. They are responsible for all affairs pertaining to culture, internal security, the media, local government and regional taxation. In addition, the “Laender” have a significant say in national affairs. More
posted by Center for Liberal Leadership @ 1:28 AM
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I am convinced that thousands of young and productive people are leaving the country to settle abroad not because they have lost all hope for the nation of their elders but only because they are fed up with the way the country is run,” a quote from Prof. Randy David.
He may be wrong and yet he may be right. The truth may hurt yet it is the truth.
We have heard the President’s State of the Nation Address (Sona), now we hear counter Sona’s (too much politicking).
With the year 2004 around the bend everybody is now jockeying for positions. The administration to keep hold, the opposition eyeing that after the elections they would be in power.
Yes, everybody wants politics, to read about it, to hear it, to be in it. Almost all news gathers round politics and showbiz. The latest, Sen. Robert Jaworski’s transfer to the administration breaking a Senate deadlock, yet days pass by, the deadlock continues, who gains, the administration doesn’t, the opposition doesn’t but with all these bickering going on it is We the People that loose.
Where are we the people now? After elections, we just watch in the sidelines, waiting for them to fulfil the promises they (the politicians) have promised.
A sad fact, we the people elect people who don’t even give a damn about us, ironic but that’s the price we have to pay for democracy and we only have our selves to blame.
Now the Lower House of Congress is talking about amending the constitution. For me, with all these bickering going on, it is indeed about time we amend the constitution.
Have we seen development, have we felt development, to those in Metro Manila, and in key cities the answer may be yes, for those in the hinterlands and in remote barrios, everything seems the same.
The clamour for a Bagsa Moro Republic remains, Autonomy still is an issue in the Cordillera Region (people in the Cordillera Region do not reject autonomy but reject the organic act they did).
No less than governors of the different provinces and mayors of the different towns and cities in the country recognize that the Internal Revenue Allotment must be increased in favor of the Local Government Units.
The problem is we rely “too much” on the central government and who ever is close to the central government gets more spoils, “kung sino ang malapit sa kalan ang siyang mabibiyayaan” as the saying goes.
We may not realize it, but the Local Government Code has done good, but to my belief further decentralization would improve more the state of the countryside.
According to Prof. Jose V. Abueva, “A federal system will be better able to achieve and sustain national unity and identity and at the same time protect and enhance the nation’s cultural diversity and social pluralism. It will promote a strong national identity on the basis of economic, cultural and environmental diversity.” And this I believe in.
No less than big business firms are now breaking their business firms into smaller highly autonomous subsidiaries to enhance their competitiveness globally. Highly manageable, highly competitive is what these subsidiary companies have become.
Great nations such us the United States of America, Canada, Brazil, Germany, the United Arab Emirates, Malaysia to name a few have been practising such federal form of governance.
The Liberal Party (LP) is not strange to this idea as it has always pronounced that it is "a party committed to local autonomy and decentralization because it believes that the future belongs to a society that shares and disperses power rather than to a state dominated by big, centralized government."
The LP Vision and Program of Government also states that "consistent with the minimum requirements of the central government in an archipelagic country, steps should be taken to establish autonomous local governments which will respect the rich diversity of customs, traditions or cultural communities. The establishment of a Federal Government and the system of proportional representation in various agencies of government merit serious study and consideration in the interest of national reconciliation and solidarity."
"Decentralization and greater autonomy will free local governments from the crippling hole of the national government, encourage them to take the initiative, be more enterprising and less dependent on oftentimes arbitrary largess, and induce them to govern themselves to their own ways and customs." this we quote from Fmr. LP Presidents Gov. Raul Daza and Rep. Butch Abad in the book they authored The Steadfast Keepers.
With diverse cultures such as ours, Federalism is the most suited form of government I can imagine that could solve the present political, cultural and socio-economic problems which the central government cannot see.
Federalism do we really need it? Will It be the Answer to all these Political Squabbles? Is It time for us to change? Are we ready for the change? If not now? then when?
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