Carolyn Rowe - Böcker

Federalism in Germany has come to be viewed as the root cause of the country’s current economic and social malaise. The federal political system which contributed enormously to the economic success and political stability of West Germany is now said to be outdated, overburdened and unworkable. German federalism is now widely seen as being synonymous with Reformstau (reform blockage) and Stillstand (inertia). Critics argue that the system urgently needs to change if Germany is to continue to compete in the global system.This major new text offers a unique scholarly evaluation of the major recent attempts to overhaul Germany’s federal political architecture. It brings together thematic chapters by leading authorities on German federalism to provide a comprehensive assessment of the reform processes to date, their inception, scope, objectives and outputs. The contributions provide new insights into the dynamics of reform in key policy areas such as economic policy, Europe and the tax equalisation system, as well as in the institutional frameworks for decision-making. It will be essential reading for students of Germany, its politics, law and economics.This book was published as a special issue of the German Politics.

This timely book presents conclusive new evidence on paradiplomacy in contemporary Europe, challenging mainstream understanding of how substate actors engage with the European Union (EU).Drawing on global scholarly expertise, and in a constructive dialogue with International Relations, Federal and EU Integration Studies, and Comparative politics, it reveals how political and policy engagement with the EU operate through multiple layers, influencing both substate and state behavior in today's complex international order.The volume establishes a fresh framework for understanding paradiplomacy, enriched by examining the domestic impact of independent substate activism on European policy. Through detailed analysis, it demonstrates how substate actors substantively influence the EU agenda, consequently reframing state activism and leadership within formal decision-making spaces. Breaking new ground, the collection examines not only powerful European substate actors like Catalonia, Bavaria, and Scotland, but also incorporates perspectives from non-European entities such as California and Illinois.Accessible, meticulously researched, and expertly presented, this volume is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand the dynamics of real-world paradiplomacy in our time.The chapters in this book were originally published as a special issue of Territory, Politics, Governance.

Federalism in Germany has come to be viewed as the root cause of the country’s current economic and social malaise. The federal political system which contributed enormously to the economic success and political stability of West Germany is now said to be outdated, overburdened and unworkable. German federalism is now widely seen as being synonymous with Reformstau (reform blockage) and Stillstand (inertia). Critics argue that the system urgently needs to change if Germany is to continue to compete in the global system.This major new text offers a unique scholarly evaluation of the major recent attempts to overhaul Germany’s federal political architecture. It brings together thematic chapters by leading authorities on German federalism to provide a comprehensive assessment of the reform processes to date, their inception, scope, objectives and outputs. The contributions provide new insights into the dynamics of reform in key policy areas such as economic policy, Europe and the tax equalisation system, as well as in the institutional frameworks for decision-making. It will be essential reading for students of Germany, its politics, law and economics.This book was published as a special issue of the German Politics.

The reforms undertaken in Germany fundamentally altered the roles played by the federal and state-level governments in several policy fields, and the question as to what kind of impact this has for policy itself is a global one.