In this paper, various forms of governmental organisation are presented in the light of their capacity to overcome overload. After the importance of municipalities has been stressed, two administrative devices are presented: decongestion and deconcentration. Further questions for and against decentralisation are analysed and the concepts of regionalism and autonomy explained. It is argued that the cornerstone of the rights of substate government is the principle of subsidiarity. The conclusion is made that federalism is the only fundamental solution to guaranteeing this principle as well as preventing governmental overload.