Cities, Subsidiarity, and Federalism
Cities, Subsidiarity, and Federalism
This chapter examines the principle of subsidiarity and the justification of federalism from the perspective of the city. It first considers the ideas of subsidiarity and federalism before turning to the definition of a city, including the one proposed by Daniel Weinstock. It then discusses some of the epistemic features of city life that are vital to any use of cities for arguments about subsidiarity. It also explores two powerful justifications for subsidiarity: the first appeals to personal autonomy and liberal-democratic legitimacy, while the second is (moderately) communitarian in spirit. The chapter concludes by analyzing Jacob Levy's argument that there are good reasons for federations to opt for constitutional entrenchment of rigid territorial boundaries and associated divisions of powers—an argument that points to the virtues of divided loyalties between state and federal governments.
Keywords: subsidiarity, federalism, Daniel Weinstock, city life, cities, personal autonomy, Jacob Levy, federations, state governments, federal governments
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