How and to what degree do federations produce uniform law within their system? This comparative empirical study addresses these questions comprehensively for the first time. Originally produced under the auspices of the International Academy of Comparative Law, this volume examines legal unification in twenty federations around the world. Each of the successive chapters presents the forces of unification through the lens of a particular federal system. A comparative overview chapter provides a detailed analysis of the overall results with compelling visual illustrations of legal unification along different dimensions (e.g. by area of law; by federation; by civil vs common law system). The overview chapter summarizes and analyzes the means and methods of legal unification and the degree of legal unification of each system, and explains the driving forces of legal unity and diversity in federations more generally. The volume presents surprising findings that should make scholars rethink their abandonment of the civil law vs. common law distinction in comparative law. ​ This book is a milestone in the study of federalism. It is a rare and welcome melding of comparative law and comparative politics using both original data and qualitative analysis. Wide-ranging, probing, and definitive, this book is an invaluable resource for students of law, politics, and multi-level governance. Gary Marks, Burton Craige Professor, UNC-Chapel Hill, and Chair in Multilevel Governance, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Understanding Germany's federal structure is crucial to understanding contemporary Germany. The federal system shaped the way German unification was carried out, it shapes the way in which policies are made, and it plays a role in determining the way in which Germany presents its priorities in the EU. The first part of the book analyzes the nature of pre-unification West German federalism and the unique challenge posed for the federal system by unification. Part 2 takes stock of key issues in the operation of post-unification federalism, including the policy process, the role of parties in federalism, conflicts of interest over financial allocations, and the impact of deepening European integration. The final part offers a series of critical perspectives which address the long-term legacies of unification and increasing pressures for reform.

This is an assessment of how an established, federal constitutional framework can adapt to meet the challenge posed by the achievement of German unity and the deepening of european Unity.

This exciting book by Anthony J. Bellia is a unique collection of legal and scholarly materials intended for use in a range of courses, including Constitutional Law, Federalism, Federalism History, Federalism Theory, and Comparative Federalism. The first book of its kind, Federalism spans traditional subject areas, which allows a deeper and richer treatment of the subject. Features: Considers federalism questions across subject areas Transcends lines drawn by courses such as Constitutional Law, Federal Courts, and Civil Procedure Enables fuller and richer treatment of the subject of federalism Includes primary historical and theoretical sources relating to legal development and enduring questions Increases understanding of constitutional doctrine and fosters interdisciplinary learning Presents foundational materials useful for a range of courses on federalism

"In Federalism and Subsidiarity, a distinguished interdisciplinary group of scholars in political science, law, and philosophy address the application and interaction of the concept of federalism within law and government. What are the best justifications for and conceptions of federalism? What are the most useful criteria for deciding what powers should be allocated to national governments and what powers reserved to state or provincial governments? What are the implications of the principle of subsidiarity for such questions? What should be the constitutional standing of cities in federations? Do we need to "remap" federalism to reckon with the emergence of translocal and transnational organizations with porous boundaries that are not reflected in traditional jurisdictional conceptions? Examining these questions and more, this latest installation in the NOMOS series sheds new light on the allocation of power within federations"--

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This study explores the following puzzle: Upon national unification, why was Germany formed as a federal state and Italy a unitary state? Ziblatt's answer to this question will be of interest to scholars of international relations, comparative politics, political development, and political and economic history.