Sub-national level poliarchies. Conceptual and normative aspectos in the context of federal democracies

Abstract

This article suggests, in theoretical terms, the possible co-existence of a democratic government in the national sphere and different forms of local authoritarianism in the sub-national level, studying the argentine case. First, from the dahlianas definitions of the democracy, it proposes elements that should be part of a sub-national definition of the democracy. Second, it justifies an enclosed definition to the political since the scarce correlation between political competence and socio-economic development. Third, it analyzes the implications of the local authoritarianism on federal systems where the foundational pacts have introduced a disproportionate representation of the small provinces in the national agencies. This article concludes with a hypothesis: the explanation of the local authoritarianism is not in the under-development, but in the distribution of the fiscal resources.