Federalism, Decentralisation
and
Conflict Management
in Multicultural
Societies
Public Conference from
Thomas Fleiner
Budapest – January 2008
Main Questions:
Holding or bringing multicultural
Societies together we have to ask:
How should they be governed?
Who should govern whom?
And even more explosiv:
Who should decide who should govern?
The Challenge of the
Nation State
Challenges
of the Nation-State
Multiculturality
Nationstate
Diversitiy conflicts
Glocalisation
Fragmentation
The issues:
Why is multiculturalism a
problem?
Do federalism and decentralization
help to bring or to hold
multicultural societies together?
Is a fragmented civil society
as nation builder of a multicultural
state conceivable and realistic?
Based on what concepts does
the international community
intervene and/or manage
conflicts of multicutlural societies?
Nation-State
facing
State of Modernity:
Multiculturality
all human
individuals are equal as being
for all?
Egocentric
Hobbes
What
Exploiters
Bearers of
Rational
What is the
main problem?or
unalienable
Citoyens
exploited
rights
Rousseau
Marx
Locke
good
Capable of reaCost-benefit driven
son and judgeHomo
oeconomicus
ment Kant
Nation - State
Ignoring
Culture
Denying
Culture
Conflict with
ethnic
minorities
Integrating into one culture of identity
Controversy
about the roots and the
Multiculturality:
potentials
of the different conflicts:
Diversity
Conflicts
have historical roots
are stired up by
neighbours
are generated by
fundamentalism
are promoted by
warlords
Illegitimate state
State v. minority terror
Induced by ethnicity
have economic roots
Reality Modern
State Glocalisation
Consumers profit from
global market
„citoyens“ claim universality
of human rights
human beings seek
local security and local identity
Reconciling:
Promoting:
Challenges
of
the
Nation-State
conflict mashared-rule
self-rule? with regard
Whattoisfragmen-nagement
powertation by diversity
sharing?
To
get legitimacy from
diversities by
Tolerating:
minority
protection;
affirmative
action?
us and for our
Equalising:
collective
rights?
I. To bring or to hold
together by
state-making
or by
state-reconstructing
Bring together
through
constitution
making
by
democratic
procedure:
Who is the
„Pouvoir
Constituant“?
Bring together
by Constitution
making
Negotiation
Hold together
through
reconstructing
the federal
balance:
Creating a
new canton
by
secession
Jura
CH
Berne
Creating
a new
Canton
Jura
out of
secession
and
self-determination
French
Along
language
lines?
German
Catholic
Or
along
religious
lines?
Protestant
Hold together
through
reconstructing
the federal
balance:
Nation –
building:
II. Hold or bring
together
by
decentralization
To bring together
by improving local
democracy
The challenge of
elitism
To bring together by
improving
local
democracy
Transparancy
and
accountability
To hold together
by
improving
local
governance
Responsiveness
To hold together by
improving
local
governance
Human
Rights
III. To hold or bring
fragmented
civil society(ies)
together
With Rights
To bring civil societies together
with rights
Right of
Self-determination
To bring
together
with rights
Collective
rights
Civil societies
facing
diversities
How can
civil
societi(es)
hold together
when they
face
pluralism
of
languages
How can
civil
societ(ies)
hold together
when they
face
religious
diversities
IV. To bring or hold
together
by the international
community
To bring
together
Role and
legitimacy
of
international
action
To hold
togethter
Forms of international
involvement:
Governance
Bring and hold multiculurality
together
State
Unity
State
Structure
Decentra
lisation
Civil Society
International C.
Statemaking
Reconstructing
Local democracy
Local Governance
Rights
Diversities
Constitution making
Negotiation
Soft secession
Nation-Building
Elitism
Transparency
Responsiveness
Human Rights
Self-Determination
Collective Rights
Language
Religion
Intervention
Int. governance