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I wasn't saying the UK is a normal federal country. Legolas Send a noteboard - 02/06/2012 10:17:08 PM
I was just saying that there were federal countries in either direction - the ones that started from independent entities joined together, or the ones that started from a centralized government and gradually granted more power to the states/regions.
In the UK, on the other hand, most of the country is under central control. Additionally, the system is asymmetrical – Northern Ireland has more devolved power than Scotland, and Scotland has more than Wales.

I've just had a look at how the Spanish system works, though, and I'll grant that it does look a lot more like federalism than ours does.

Spain does have asymmetry to some extent, actually, now that you mention that. Catalonia and the Basque Country, to take the most obvious examples, have more autonomy than the central Castilian-speaking regions like Castilia La Mancha or Castilia Y Leon. But yeah, the entire country is divided into regions, each of which has a separate parliament and all, even if some have more power than others. The English situation of being directly governed by a "federal" parliament that also has members of the other regions in it, is rather bizarre alright. But I dare say it'd be a political non-starter to talk about a separate English parliament...
This message last edited by Legolas on 02/06/2012 at 10:17:32 PM
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For Our Nordmenn: What Happens to Federal Religious Holidays in the Absence of a State Church? Joel - 27/05/2012 01:33:20 PM 1248 Views
Nothing, they are federal holidays still because of strong unions, not religion Lews_TherinThelamon - 27/05/2012 06:58:52 PM 663 Views
Hypocrisy FTW, eh? Joel - 27/05/2012 11:04:38 PM 801 Views
No. Lews_TherinThelamon - 27/05/2012 11:16:11 PM 622 Views
Again, some people manifestly care; just not enough to relinquish a paid holiday. Joel - 28/05/2012 01:48:26 AM 651 Views
Nothing. jh - 27/05/2012 07:03:07 PM 614 Views
Replacing it with another, secular, holiday seems the responsible thing to do. Joel - 27/05/2012 11:15:11 PM 595 Views
People. Don't. Care. Lews_TherinThelamon - 27/05/2012 11:29:07 PM 637 Views
If people did not care, disestablishmentarianism (and its antithesis) would not exist. Joel - 28/05/2012 01:41:18 AM 784 Views
Most of them are stolen from heden traditions and have nothing to do with christianity. Milla - 27/05/2012 07:15:55 PM 905 Views
It's all about watching Kalle Anka and Karl-Bertil Jonsson Lews_TherinThelamon - 27/05/2012 07:40:45 PM 664 Views
YES! *NM* Milla - 27/05/2012 10:48:06 PM 609 Views
Since two resident history buffs recently excoriated me for that claim, I have no wish to revisit it Joel - 27/05/2012 11:27:13 PM 754 Views
Thanksgiving isn't a religious holiday. Tom - 27/05/2012 08:43:58 PM 693 Views
That is rather debatable. Joel - 28/05/2012 12:08:53 AM 781 Views
The Distinction Bored - 29/05/2012 07:41:47 PM 730 Views
Thanksgiving was a purely federal institution. FDR dictated the date it's celebrated Cannoli - 30/05/2012 03:22:09 AM 657 Views
That distinction would be an almost wholly Roman Catholic (or possibly Greek Orthodox) one. Joel - 01/06/2012 01:47:12 AM 620 Views
How do you come to four for Canada? DomA - 27/05/2012 11:29:57 PM 579 Views
Because I counted Thankgiving, and holidays for federal employees rather than just statutory ones. Joel - 28/05/2012 02:03:55 AM 751 Views
Re: Because I counted Thankgiving, and holidays for federal employees rather... DomA - 28/05/2012 04:31:14 AM 644 Views
Well, you know better than I, but I found the 1580s date interesting. Joel - 28/05/2012 04:08:31 PM 879 Views
Re: Well, you no better than I, but I found the 1580s date interesting. DomA - 29/05/2012 01:15:52 AM 698 Views
I was referring to the Wikipedia article I linked. Joel - 01/06/2012 03:34:11 AM 761 Views
Ireland has a tonne of religious public holidays yet no state religion. Stephen - 28/05/2012 12:48:55 AM 654 Views
I wondered how that would shake out for the rest of Europe, or at least Western Europe. Joel - 28/05/2012 02:29:16 AM 687 Views
This succession of two long weekends is rather nice, yes. Legolas - 28/05/2012 01:41:05 AM 602 Views
I think Grunnlovsdagen ate Ascension Day. Joel - 28/05/2012 02:57:27 AM 713 Views
It's funny how you use "federal" to mean "mandated by national government". Tim - 28/05/2012 03:49:17 PM 623 Views
I was thinking more "central" government, but OK. Joel - 28/05/2012 04:26:38 PM 651 Views
Re: I was thinking more "central" government, but OK. Tim - 28/05/2012 04:50:32 PM 615 Views
Re: I was thinking more "central" government, but OK. Joel - 01/06/2012 02:03:40 AM 822 Views
I think you've got the Scotland Act backwards. Tim - 01/06/2012 09:48:36 AM 742 Views
I did, though the practical effect is much the same. Joel - 01/06/2012 08:41:03 PM 707 Views
There's a lot of countries that call "devolution" federalism, though. Legolas - 01/06/2012 09:52:23 PM 712 Views
What about when most of the country is still under central control? Tim - 02/06/2012 10:25:47 AM 631 Views
I wasn't saying the UK is a normal federal country. Legolas - 02/06/2012 10:17:08 PM 670 Views
There is a Campaign for an English Parliament. Tim - 03/06/2012 10:12:21 AM 624 Views
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