Autonomy plus : the policy challenges and opportunities faced by subnational (mainly island) jurisdictions

Abstract

The world contains large numbers of subnational jurisdictions, many of which enjoy or suffer a special status, one that is not necessarily shared by the other similar subnational members of the federative state. A particularly unique historical quirk, the existence of an aboriginal/First Nation community, a specific international treaty or similar "one-off" conditions may conspire to produce such circumstances. However, governance and politics is a dialectic and iterative game. Federal politicians and bureaucracies will seek to expand their leverage and clout over subnational units; while these same units will seek to expand their existing powers to maintain a fuller sense of autonomy and determination. There is one catch, however: full sovereignty or political independence is a red line that BOTH sides typically do not want to cross. In this game of "autonomy plus," therefore, the two sides are likely to agree and support measures that help to secure the goals and ambitions of both parties. In other words, the policies enacted and implemented at the subnational level are more likely to meet central support (and therefore also funding and legislative support) if they are seen as "win-win" initiatives rather than merely concessions. A critical question then becomes: what policy measures, advanced by sub-state units, are likely to meet the blessings of the central state? In the spirit of how the past may be a mirror of the future, this exploratory chapter reviews the suite of policy capacities deployed by SNIJs and suggests whether these remain "fit for purpose" for the challenges of the twenty-first century.