State Territorial Organization: Unitary and Federal Models

The territorial organization of a state refers to how power and territory relate within it.

Unitary Model

• Unitary: It arises in the French system as a reaction against the old regime, against the many centers of power. It tries to concentrate power in one center: there is only one state power. This motivates having a single executive, legislative, and judicial branch. The law is the same for all citizens, regardless of where they are in the territory. There is only one center of political leadership. The territorial organization is relevant only for administrative purposes.

Federal Model

• Federal: This model emerged from the independence of the British colonies of North America: the union of different states into one. There are several centers of power endowed with political autonomy. A central authority called the Federation has its own executive, legislative, and judicial branches. Territorial entities have their own constitution, where they establish their own organization. In addition, there is also a federal constitution for all states to define the scope of competence of the Federation and the states, uniform for all. Bodies are created to resolve conflicts of jurisdiction between the Federation and the states. The states are involved in decision-making through a territorial chamber: the Senate.

Model Basics in Spain

Principle of Unity:

There is a single state within the Spanish state and, therefore, a single sovereignty, the Spanish people, constituting a single constitution. There is one head of state, one Constitutional Court, one judiciary, and one legal system. But unity is not uniformity: not all regions act the same, otherwise, we would not have the status of autonomy. Unity serves to ensure a minimum common denominator for the entire state.

Principle of Autonomy:

This is a faculty recognized in the territories belonging to the state, but the Spanish Constitution does not specify what they are or how they are organized. All communities could be equal because they have the same powers and rights. It is the possibility that the nationalities and regions (Autonomous Communities) are equipped with political autonomy that allows them to have legislative powers from their own parliament and the capacity to create their own governmental bodies, but this is not, in any case, sovereignty.

Principle of Solidarity:

The Spanish Constitution imposes the need for solidarity between Autonomous Communities (economic balance between all communities). A specific organ called the "Territorial Compensation Fund" has been created to redistribute resources.