Devolution is the transfer of power from a centralized government to lower levels of government, often financial in nature. It can be temporary and is common in democracies. It differs from federalism, which permanently divides power between different levels of government. In the US, individual states have permanent powers granted by the Constitution, while city and county governments have devolved powers. Devolution can cause strain, as seen in the separation of powers in Ireland.
Devolution is the process by which governmental power or authority is vested from a large, centralized government at lower levels of government, such as those at the state or territory level. While this power can be relinquished for an extended period, the transfer can be temporary in nature, and power can eventually be taken back by the larger government. This type of power transfer is often financial in nature, allowing a state or province to deal with fiduciary matters usually handled by the national government. Devolution is quite common in democracies and similar forms of government and can be an important aspect of governing a country.
While similar in some respects, devolution is not the same as federalism. Federalism divides the powers of a government into different levels and various regional systems. A federal government system typically establishes a single national government, as well as smaller government bodies to govern states or territories. This division of power is usually permanent and establishes how each region is able to govern itself. States can then set up smaller governments for the counties within them, and potentially smaller governing bodies for individual cities or municipalities as well.
Devolution, on the other hand, transfers powers between those constituted bodies from the top down in a way that may be temporary or easily reversible. In the United States (USA), for example, individual states are granted certain powers within the boundaries of the United States Constitution. These powers are considered permanent and cannot be overridden or revoked by any constitutional act of the federal government. If certain powers that typically reside within the federal government, such as funding certain projects within a state, were temporarily given to a state, then that would be a devolution of those powers.
Similarly, the powers vested in a city or county government within a state in the United States are typically devolutionary in nature. These powers are not granted, and most states could simply dissolve city governments and instead keep power within the state government. This is not typically the case, however, as devolving power to individual cities and counties often makes governance easier.
Devolution, or lack thereof, can be a source of great frustration and strain, however, when power is held by a larger body that is desired by lower levels of government. The separation of governmental powers in Ireland into Northern and Southern Ireland for example has often been the source of much strife and violence over numerous decades. The powers initially granted to Northern Ireland were later revoked and the resulting violence demonstrates the importance of the distribution of power within a country.
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