devolution
Authority flowing outward
Devolution is the transfer of power from a central authority to regional or local governments: Scotland gained significant autonomy through devolution.
The word also means deterioration or decline—a reversal of evolution or progress: the devolution of civil discourse, The party's devolution into infighting cost them the election.
Both senses share the idea of moving downward or outward from a center.
Distributing power from center
- federalismDivided governmental authority system
- subsidiarityLocal authority when able
- regionalismLocal area favoritism
- self-governmentRuling oneself independently
autonomy · sovereignty · parliament · legislation · jurisdiction · governance · delegation · transfer
Process of declining quality
- degradationDecline in condition
- decayGradual organic breakdown
- retrogressionMovement to earlier state
- backslidingReverting to former sins
worsening · degeneracy · downfall · erosion · collapse · disintegration · breakdown · weakening
Governance without outside control
- independenceFreedom from external control
- self-determinationControl over one's fate
- self-governmentRuling oneself independently
- empowermentGaining authority or confidence
freedom · liberty · enfranchisement · emancipation · self-direction · self-management · sovereignty · separatism
Progressive loss of function
- regressionReturn to former state
- atrophyWasting from disuse
- deteriorationProcess of declining quality
- simplificationMaking something less complex
vestigial · rudimentary · parasitism · neoteny · reduction · blindness · flightlessness
decentralization
Distributing power from center
- federalismDivided governmental authority system
- subsidiarityLocal authority when able
- regionalismLocal area favoritism
self-government · autonomy · sovereignty · parliament · legislation · jurisdiction · governance · delegation · transfer · competencies
deterioration
Process of declining quality
- degradationDecline in condition
- decayGradual organic breakdown
- retrogressionMovement to earlier state
backsliding · worsening · degeneracy · downfall · erosion · collapse · disintegration · breakdown · weakening · crumbling
self-rule
Governance without outside control
- independenceFreedom from external control
- self-determinationControl over one's fate
- self-governmentRuling oneself independently
empowerment · freedom · liberty · enfranchisement · emancipation · self-direction · self-management · sovereignty · separatism · nationalism
degeneration
Progressive loss of function
- regressionReturn to former state
- atrophyWasting from disuse
- deteriorationProcess of declining quality
simplification · vestigial · rudimentary · parasitism · neoteny · reduction · blindness · flightlessness
- governancegovernance, government, democracy, vote, parliament
- independencefreedom, liberty, Independence Day, autonomy, sovereignty
- transfertransfer, transferring, transference, transmittal, transmitting
- UK Policytax policy, economic policy, education policy, health policy, housing policy
- UK PoliticsHouse of Commons, House of Lords, MP, Tory, Downing Street
- WalesCardiff, Anglesey, Welsh, Snowdon, Welsh dragon
devolutioncentralization
Unifying control in one place
consolidation · centralism · federalization · unification · nationalization
devolutionevolution
Species changing over generations
development · progression · advancement · complexification · adaptation
devolutionadvancement
Forward movement or promotion
growth · development · flourishing · progress · rise