After the State became a centralized node for all political, social, economic and even cultural authority, there has been a decentralization c.1970 with power being relegated to International, Private & Transnational actors. Rather than being a withdrawn entity, the State's continued role as a complementary authority -- its reasons & causes -- have been discussed
2. A State is defined as an organization specialized in exercising
political authority within a given territory and over the people
in that territory.
Decision-making competence, organizational competence and
legitimatory power
The State
3. Instrumental nationalization: extending from political, social,
economic to cultural factors
Examples: separation of Church & State, welfare programs;
education, regulatory market, arts & public museums, etc.
Nationalization of the State
4. Legitamatory Nationalization: Establishment of Rule of Law,
Democracy
Spurred by the Bill of Rights in England; American & French
Revolutions
Rule of Law is to an independent Judiciary whereas Democracy is
to universal suffrage, equal opportunities to all citizens
6. Rise of non-state actors in OECD countries c. 1970
International actors (UNO, EU), Private actors (Federations,
guilds), Transnational actors (NGO, Red Cross, IOC)
Denationalization of the State
11. Democratic Principles Rule of Law Principles
International Actors Partially Increasing Partially Increasing
Private Actors Decreasing Decreasing
Transnational Actors Partially Increasing Partially Increasing
Legitamatory Powers
12. Democratic principles: only through State diplomatic exchanges;
European Parliament, civil society groups on the say of
landmines, climate change are exceptions
Rule of Law: citizens can’t address grievances to WTO, anti-
whaling, etc,; arbitration in international trade, ECHR &
UNHCR are exceptions
Internationalization
13. Democratic principles: increasing public involvement in deciding
codes of conduct; however, decision-making process still
centralized
Rule of Law: judicial bodies (ICAS) have increased; however,
individual participation & awareness remain weak
Transnationalization
14. Democratic principles: citizens being replaced with ‘clients’;
commodification
Rule of Law: no internal judicial review, market competition
reduces legitimacy of elections
Privatization
15. Organizational: all directives of WTO, EU, UNO, etc. have to be
implemented by the member states
Decision-making: to Private players, regulatory frameworks in
order to prevent monopolization of market
Complementary role of the State
16. International actors: State acts as intermediary; can be held
accountable for its actions
Transnational actors: State’s representatives in NGO’s
Private actors: State provides judicial remedies, market regulations
for privatization
Legitamatory Complementarity
17. Ultimate manager of political authority: even as more & more
functions are drawn away from the State, it is being held responsible
for all of its actions
Against a complimentary State role, a general perception is that of
States holding an ultimate responsibility
Dangers of “ultimate” State control: Soviet Communism, German
National Socialism, World Wars
Manager of Political Authority
18. Can there be a reversal of Denationalization of the State’s political
authority?
Is legitamatory deficiency of Private actors a concern? If so, how
can they be brought about?
Discussion questions