August 2013
Central administration and regional balance
Booming city, desolate country
In the centralized state are government, parliament, judiciary, police and all national administrations and cultural institutions in the capital. A consequence is that inter-regional and international companies move their headquarters to the capital. In the capital there is work and economic future. Those looking for work, success or adventure, go to the capital. The administrations, the social institutions, the available apartments, roads and public transport are invaded by people. Perhaps there will already be people who live in ghetto-like suburbs or on the road. The capital obtains tax money to manage the expansion. The country is hardly noticed by the city and the national government. Little money flows back into the country. The country gets impoverished and unattractive. Young people are moving away. The contrasts between urban and rural area is enlarging. Social tensions are growing.Countermeasures
Calming the critical development is possible when the maelstrom from the capital (also from the big city) is weakened and the attractiveness of the regions is strengthened.The Parliament is usually elected by the people. Nevertheless, it leads a life on its own. Regional parliaments and governments could work as a counterbalance. But if there are 100 political districts with 100 parliaments and governments, they are too small and too weak to form a counterweight to the central power. Five or more regions that are politically and organizationally independent, can form a protection against possible arbitrariness of the central power. The regional centers are not only a necessary counterweight to the central political power. They are also a great help in extraordinary situations and if a disaster occurred.
In many countries were more military operations against the own people as against an external enemy. A measure against this danger are at least three regional military branches with their own soldiers and their own military arsenal. They are of course subject to the orders of the national parliament and government. Courts should be independent. To minimize the risk of prejudice, courts should be protected from political interference. Parliamentarians and high-ranking military judge should not sit at dinner or while drinking at the same table together. Therefore, the highest court of a country should be in a city that is at least 100 kilometers from the capital.
Few administrations and institutions need to be in the capital. The administrations who need many employees should be in economically weak regions. National research centers, the National Museum and other cultural centers can be far away from the capital. Likewise, top universities and hospitals which are equipped with cutting-edge medicine. The same goes for radio and television studios. If highly subsidized national facilities such as the theatre, the orchestra, the opera and the ballet existent, they should not have their domicile in the capital. And they should go to the cities of the country on tour. A balanced distribution of all institutions maintained or subsidized by the state leads to a more balanced situation. This welds the nation together.