Abstract
The chapter reflects on the power, resilience and the constancy of grip that a centralised democracy and centralised government has on the role of local government in England, and it accounts for the weakness of any alternative localist narrative. The chapter moves on to provide the foundation for just such an alternative localist narrative and an alternative formulation for local government that challenges long-standing centralist political views. Through the concept of muscular localism as the foundation for a localised state, the chapter provides the model for a radical alternative to the continued march of centralisation. It is a model where communities and localities are the building blocks of a democratic state and a state which celebrates political diversity rather than nationalised politics as its foundation.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Agranoff, R., & McGuire, M. (2003). Collaborative Public Management: New Strategies for Local Governments. Washington, DC: Georgetown University Press.
Almond, G. A., & Verba, S. (1963). The Civic Culture: Political Attitudes and Democracy in five Nations. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
Baldersheim, H., & Rose, L. (2010). Territorial Choice: The Politics of Boundaries and Borders. Hampshire: Macmillan.
Bellamy, C. (1988). Administering Central-Local Relations, 1871–1919: The Local Government Board in Its Fiscal and Cultural Context. Manchester: Manchester University Press.
Chandler, J. A. (2007). Explaining Local Government: Local Government in Britain Since 1800. Manchester: Manchester University Press.
Chisholm, M., & Leach, S. (2008). Botched Business: The Damaging Process of re-Organising Local Government, 2006–2008. Coleford: Douglas McLean.
Committee of Inquiry into the Conduct of Local Authority Business. (1986). Report of the Committee into the Conduct of Local Authority Business (Widdicombe) Cmnd 9797, HMSO, London.
Copus, C. (2010). English Local Government: Neither Local Nor Government. In P. Swianiewicz (Ed.), Territorial Consolidation Reforms in Europe (pp. 95–126). Budapest: Local Government and Public Service Reform Initiative, Open Society Institute.
Copus, C. (2015). Ideology or Realism in Local Governance: A Case of RealLokalPolitik in English Local Government. Journal of Croatian and Comparative Public Administration, 15(2), 335–355.
Copus, C. (2016). In Defence of Councillors. Manchester: Manchester University Press.
Denters, B., Goldsmith, M., Ladner, A., Mouritzen, P. E., & Rose, L. (2014). Size and Local Democracy. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.
Dunleavy, P., & Hood, C. (1994). From Old Public Administration to New Public Management. Public Money and Management, 14(3), 9–16.
Fraser, D. (1979). Power and Authority in the Victorian City. New York: St Martin’s Press.
Hennock, E. P. (1973). Fit and Proper Persons: Ideal and Reality in Nineteenth-Century Urban Government. London: Edward Arnold.
Inglehart, R. (1988). The Renaissance of Political Culture. American Political Science Review, 82(4), 1203–1230.
Keith-Lucas, B. (1952). The English Local Government Franchise. Oxford: Basil Blackwell.
Kjear, U., & Hjelmar, U. (2009). Municipal Amalgamations and He Democratic Functioning of Local Councils: The Danish 2007 Structural Reform as a Case. Paper Presented to European Group of Public Administration, Conference, St Julian’s Malta, 2–5 September.
Klijn, E.-H., & Skelcher, C. (2007). Democracy and Governance Networks: Compatible or Not? Public Administration, 85(3), 587–608.
Lipset, S. M. (1990). The Centrality of Political Culture. Journal of Democracy, 1(4), 80–83.
Lowndes, V., & Sullivan, H. (2008). How Low Can You Go? Rationales and Challenges for Neighbourhood Governance. Public Administration, 86(1), 53–74.
Marks, G., & Hooghe, L. (2004). Contrasting Visions of Multi-Level Governance. In I. Bache & M. Flinders (Eds.), Multi-Level Governance. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Moore, M. (2014). Localism, A Philosophy of Government. Arkansas: The Ridge Enterprise Group.
Pierre, J. (Ed.). (2002). Debating Governance: Authority, Steering, and Democracy. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Redlich, J., & Hirst, F. W. (1958). The History of Local Government in England. London: Macmillan.
Saint, A. (Ed.). (1989). Politics and the People of London: The London County Council 1889–1965. London: Hambledon Press.
Skelcher, C. (2004). The New Governance Of Communities. In G. Stoker & D. Wilson (Eds.), British Local Government Into the 21st Century. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Sorensen, E. (2006). Metagovernance: The Changing Role of Politicians in Processes of Democratic Governance. The American Review of Public Administration, 36(1), 98–114.
Sorensen, E., & Torfing, J. (2005). Network Governance and Post-Liberal Democracy. Administrative theory and praxis, 27(2), 197–237.
Sorensen, E., & Torfing, J. (2014). Assessing the Democratic Anchorage of Governance Networks. In S. Griggs, A. Norval, & H. Wagenaar (Eds.), Practices of Freedom. Decentred Governance, Conflict and Democratic Participation (pp. 108–136). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Teles, F. (2016). Local Governance and Inter-Municipal Co-operation. Palgrave Macmillan: Basingstoke.
Toulmin Smith, J. (1849). Government by Commissions Illegal and Pernicious. Reprinted Nabu Public Domain.
Toulmin Smith, J. (1851). Local Government and Centralisation: The Characteristics of Each; and its Practical Tendencies, As affecting Social, Moral and political Welfare and Progress, Including Comprehensive Outlines of the English Constitution, Elibron Classics Series, 2005.
Toulmin Smith, J. (1857a) Local Self-Government Un-Mystified: A Vindication of Common Sense, Human Nature, and Practical Improvement, Against the Manifesto of centralism, Put Forth at the Social Science Association. Reprinted by Forgotten Books, 2015.
Toulmin Smith, J. (1857b). The Parish: Its Powers and Obligations at law, As Regards the Welfare of Every Neighbourhood, and in Relation to the State: Its Officers and Committees: and the Responsibility of Every Parishioner. Reprinted by ULAN Press, Marston Gate.
Young, K., & Garside, P. (1982). Metropolitan London: Politics and Urban Change 1837–1981. London: Edward Arnold.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Copyright information
© 2017 The Author(s)
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Copus, C., Roberts, M., Wall, R. (2017). Conclusion: Localism and Centralism—A Constant Conflict or Time for Change?. In: Local Government in England . Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-26418-3_7
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-26418-3_7
Published:
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London
Print ISBN: 978-1-137-26417-6
Online ISBN: 978-1-137-26418-3
eBook Packages: Political Science and International StudiesPolitical Science and International Studies (R0)