Regionalism (politics)

In politics, regionalism is a political ideology that focuses on the national or normative interests of a particular region, group of regions or another subnational entity. These may be delineated by political divisions, administrative divisions, cultural boundaries, linguistic regions, and religious geography, among others.

Regionalists aim at increasing the political power and influence available to all or some residents of a region. Regionalist demands occur in "strong" forms, such as sovereignty, separatism, secession, and independence, as well as more moderate campaigns for greater autonomy (such as states' rights, decentralization, or devolution).

Regionalists, in the strict sense of the term, favor confederations over unitary nation states with strong central governments. They may, however, espouse also intermediate forms of federalism.

Proponents of regionalism usually claim that strengthening the governing bodies and political powers within a region, at the expense of a central, national government, will benefit local populations by improving regional or local economies, in terms of better fiscal responsibility, regional development, allocation of resources, implementation of local policies and plans, competitiveness among regions and, ultimately, the whole country. For some of its opponents regionalism is associated with particularism or anti-universalism, while for others it is a rival form of nationalism.

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