Autonomus state and federal State: Conceptual clarifications in the current debate

Abstract

The State system designed in the Spanish Constitution of 1978 has never ceased to be debated and criticized. The continuous nationalist demands for greater self government, the constant conflicts of financing system, and the idea of being in a model that multiplies the number of administrative bodies, while public spending triggers and increases the socio-economic differences between territories and others, are just some of the problems involved in autonomic system. Recently the so-called «sovereignist challenge» existing in Catalonia has revived the debate on the model of territorial organization of Spain. In this debate various proposals are heard, including one that calls for some backward and re-centralization of some powers that now posess the Autonomous Communities. But the proposal that has had more force is certainly one that defends the constitutional reform transforming Spain into a federal State.

Through these pages we aim to provide lights, showing the differences and similarities between our form of government and the federal State. Also indicate the main problems that exist to establish ourselves as a federal State. In the article we will put particular emphasis on the notes that define federalism, among which stands out as the most important being a form of State that serves to unite governments and societies.