Aspects of complex government: politics, nation states and multi-level government

Abstract

The complexities of governing in the multi-level government environment can be illustrated in the variety of arrangements for government within the nation state. These are often grounded in multi-level systems within the state, yet may be part of a process of ‘denationalization’ of politics. This paper outlines the impact of the denationalization of politics, specifically in the case of Europe, in the context of the supra-national EU dimension beyond the level of the state. It goes on to explore a number of multi-level systems (the UK, Belgium, Canada and to a lesser extent Spain) commenting on the stability and sustainability of current arrangements.