Lesson Notes By Weeks and Term - Senior Secondary 1

Centralization and decentralization of powers

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Term: 2nd Term

Week: 13

Class: Senior Secondary School 1

Age: 15 years

Duration: 40 minutes of 2 periods each

Date:       

Subject:      Government

Topic:-       Centralization and Decentralization of power

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES: At the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to

  1. Explain centralization and decentralization of power
  2. Highlight the merits and demerits of centralization and decentralization of power

 INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNIQUES: Identification, explanation, questions and answers, demonstration, videos from source

INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS: Videos, loud speaker, textbook, pictures

INSTRUCTIONAL PROCEDURES

PERIOD 1-2

PRESENTATION

TEACHER’S ACTIVITY

STUDENT’S ACTIVITY

STEP 1

INTRODUCTION

The teacher reviews the previous lesson on representative government

Students pay attention

STEP 2

EXPLANATION

He explains the meaning of centralization and decentralization of power

 

Students pay attention and participates

STEP 3

DEMONSTRATION

He further discusses the merits and demerits of centralization and decentralization of power

Students pay attention and participate

STEP 4

NOTE TAKING

The teacher writes a summarized note on the board

The students copy the note in their books

 

NOTE

CENTRALIZATION AND DECENTRALIZATION OF POWER

Centralization is that type of government in which power is concentrated in

a single authority. In such a system, only one authority is recognized in the

whole country. Thus, power is usually vested with the central authority. The

degree of centralization is highest in a unitary state. Examples of unitary

states are Britain, France, Ghana, etc.

 

Merits of Centralization of Power

The following are the merits of centralization of power:

  1. Reduced cost of operation: The cost for running a centralized system is quite lower than that of a decentralized administration. This is because it is void of duplication of roles.
  2. Reduced conflict: Since where there is multiplicity of power, there is bound to be conflict, the reverse is the case in a centralized system.
  3. Even development: Due to the fact that there is uniformity of administration, there is room for increased even development. This is due to the presence of only one level of government.
  4. Quick decision making: This system of government makes for speedy action due to the absence of excessive bureaucracy. Thus the central government makes decisions alone.
  5. Strong government: This system of government establishes a stronger government, because all the powers are vested in a single government.
  6. Absence of dual loyalty: Citizens display full loyalty to the central authority only. In other words their loyalty is not divided on basis of state, regional or other unit of government.
  7. It enhances national unity: Centralization promotes unity in a given sate. Divisions, diversities, unhealthy rivalry, etc. are discouraged by centralization.
  8. There are less conflicts of authority

 

Demerits of Centralization of Power

  1. Homogeneity: This system works better in a homogeneous society or cultural group, but not in a heterogeneous society.
  2. Dictatorship: Since only one level off government is recognized by the constitution, the tendency for dictatorship to develop may arise.
  3. Reduced political participation: This system kills the spirit of political participation as political activities are concentrated at the centre.
  4. Neglect of minority groups: This system tends to establish a government that is far from the people at the grass root level. Thus, it does not effectively take care of minority interests.
  5. Small terrain: The system cannot be effective and efficient in the administration of larger territories or countries. For instance it is not workable in Nigeria, U.S.A, etc.

 

DECENTRALIZATION OF POWER

Decentralization is the transfer of authority and responsibility for public

functions from the central government to subordinate or quasi

independent government organizations and/or the private sector. It can

also be seen as the process of redistributing or dispersing functions,

powers, people or things away from a central location or authority.

 

Forms of Decentralization

  1. Deconcentration

Deconcentration, which is often considered to be the weakest form of

decentralization and is used most frequently in unitary states, redistributes

decision making authority and financial and management responsibilities

among different levels of the central government. It can merely shift

responsibilities from central government officials in the capital city to those

working in regions, provinces or districts, or it can create strong field

administration or local administrative capacity under the supervision of

central government ministries.

 

  1. Delegation

Delegation is a more extensive form of decentralization. Through

delegation, central governments transfer responsibility for decision-making

and administration of public functions to semi-autonomous organizations

not wholly controlled by the central government, but ultimately accountable

to it. Governments delegate responsibilities when they create public

enterprises or corporations, housing authorities, transportation authorities,

special service districts, semi-autonomous school districts, regional

development corporations, or special project implementation units. Usually

these organizations have a great deal of discretion in decision-making.

They may be exempt from constraints on regular civil service personnel

and may be able to charge users directly for services.

 

  1. Devolution

A third type of administrative decentralization is devolution of powers: It

transfers all responsibility for decision-making, finance and implementation

of certain public functions to the sub-national level, such as a regional,

local, or state government. That is to say, when governments devolve

functions, they transfer authority for decision-making, finance, and

management to quasi-autonomous units of local government with corporate

status. Devolution usually transfers responsibilities for services to

municipalities that elect their own mayors and councils, raise their own

revenues, and have independent authority to make investment decisions.

In a devolved system, local governments have clear and legally recognized

geographical boundaries over which they exercise authority and within

which they perform public functions. It is this type of administrative

decentralization that underlies most political decentralization.

 

  1. Divestment

Divestment, also called privatization, may mean merely contracting out

services to private companies. Or it may mean relinquishing totally all

responsibility for decision-making, finance and implementation of certain

public functions. Facilities will be sold off, workers transferred or fired and

private companies or not-for-profit organizations allowed to provide the

services. Many of these functions originally were done by private

individuals, companies, or associations and later taken over by

the government, either directly, or by regulating out of business, entities

which competed with newly created government programs.

 

Merits of Decentralization

  1. Quick development: This system gives room for speedy development because each unit is given the leverage to develop at its own pace. Thus developmental decision is unit-based.
  2. Government at the grass root: This system tends to bring government closer to the people of the grass root, thus attending to the interest of both the majority and minority groups in the society.
  3. Absence of dictatorial tendency: The supremacy of the constitution and the application of the principle of separation of powers tend to hamper the development of tyrannical tendencies.
  4. Wider consultation: This system gives room for a large spectrum of consultation. Thus, decision making is open to all spectra of society.
  5. Increased political participation: This system tends to create room for wider political participation due to its consultative tendencies.
  6. Leadership training ground: This system makes for leadership training opportunities for leaders to acquire necessary leadership skill for appropriate transition from one unit or level of government to the other based on accountability and transparency of the various personalities involved.

 

Demerits of Decentralization

  1. Cost of operation is high, since two or more levels of authority will mean duplication of departments and governmental functions.
  2. Conflict may arise as there are two or more levels of authority existing within the country.
  3. Ambiguity and confusion may also arise as to who the citizens will give their loyalty to in times of conflict.
  4. Since there are two or more levels of government, conflict may result to an unstable political system.
  5. Favouritism in development may give way to uneven development as the central authority may tend to favour some areas than the others.

 

EVALUATION:    1. Define centralization and decentralization of power

  1. Highlight three merits and demerits of centralization and decentralization of power

CLASSWORK: As in evaluation

CONCLUSION: The teacher commends the students positively