Federalism and Regionalism

Abstract

During the fifty years of the Irish Home Rule controversy, from about 1870 to about 1920, the question of regional devolution was one of first-rate political and constitutional importance in this country. Since the creation of the Irish Free State in 1921 the English (though not the Scots and the Welsh) have almost forgotten that regionalism can be a constitutional issue. A great deal has been said in recent years about administrative regionalism, and about regions as a cure for the malaise of English local government, and about geographical regionalism as a reasonably scientific way of classifying human habitats: but all this talk has reacted very little on politics and on constitutional theory. Yet the political importance of these issues has grown, and may grow further; and it is perhaps time to take another look at the orthodox constitutional doctrine as it has been handed done to us by Dicey.

From Modern Law Review, XIV, no. 2 (Apr 1951). Joint author: Brian Chapman.