centralism

Authority at center

Centralism is the concentration of power or authority in a central body, especially a national government rather than regional or local ones.

The term often carries negative connotations, implying excessive control from the top: Critics accused the administration of creeping centralism.

Democratic centralism was the organizing principle of Communist parties, combining open debate with strict obedience to decisions once made.

ideology

Jacobin

1790s French extremist

interventionismPolicy of deliberate involvement
statismDoctrine of governmental dominance
collectivismGroup primacy doctrine

nationalism · dirigisme · Leninism · top-down · command economy · planned economy · state control · paternalism · technocracy

power

authority

Power to enforce obedience

dominanceSuperior influence over others
commandAuthoritative instruction given
supremacyHighest rank or power

hegemony · autocracy · dictatorship · oligarchy · tyranny · despotism · absolutism · authoritarianism · oppression · domination

governance

federalism

Divided governmental authority system

autonomyIndependent decision-making capacity
devolutionTransferring power locally
subsidiarityLocal authority when able

confederation · regionalism · localism · sovereignty · jurisdiction · bureaucracy · administration · mandate · legislation · home rule

coordination

regulation

Official rules governing conduct

oversightSupervision or inadvertent omission
supervisionOverseeing people or processes
managementOrganizing and directing resources

standardization · enforcement · coordination · direction · monitoring · planning · uniformity · regimentation · conformity · streamlining

unity

unification

Merging into one entity

cohesionTendency to bind together
solidarityUnity among allies
convergenceProcess of approaching sameness

consolidation · amalgamation · integration · homogeneity · collectivism · nationalism · federation · synthesis · coalescence · singularity

Categories

Spanish HistoryReconquista, Spanish Inquisition, Spanish Empire, conquistadors, Catholic Monarchs
governmentsdemocracy, monarchy, autocracy, oligarchy, republic
ColombiaBogota, Medellin, Cali, Colombian flag, Colombian coffee
political ideologiesconservatism, conservative, anarchism, liberalism, liberal
authoritarianismautocracy, absolutism, despotism, dictatorship, totalitarianism
French PoliticsNational Assembly, French politics, French president, deputy, senator

Opposites

political/administrative power distribution

centralismdecentralization

Distributing power from center

decentralism · federalism · localism · devolution · regionalism

autonomy and self-governance

centralismseparatism

Advocacy for political breakaway

self-determination · independence · secessionism · particularism · pluralism

Phrases

centralized controlAuthority concentrated in one body
centralized powerAuthority held by few
centralized governmentAuthority held by one body
centralized authorityGovernance from single point
centralized planningAuthority directs all economic activity
centralized heatingBuilding-wide thermal system

Family

centralize, centrality, centralized, centralization, decentralize, centralizing, decentralization, centralizes, decentralized

Familiarity: Top 500,000
Profile: Used worldwide · Timeless · Abstract · Rated G