Week 10.1 The impact of devolution

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Week 10.1The impact of devolution

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Week 1 How is Scottish political history relevant
today?

• Union state rather than a unitary state - what
  does this mean and what is the effect?
• 19th century Scottish settlement to address
  nationalism becomes the Scottish Parliaments
  inheritance
• The experience of Thatcher informed new politics
  ideas
• Thatcher experience reveals Scottish
  conservatism?

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Week 2 The Scottish Political System

• The idea of qualified autonomy often through
  neglect
• Distinct and insulated policy communities only
  in some areas at certain times
• Scotland often went its own way
• Ultimate decision-making resides elsewhere
• Control over spending but not taxation
• Thatcher experience shifts the debate

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Week 2 Is there a Scottish Political System now?

• Qualified autonomy
• Scotland often goes its own way
• Ultimate decision-making resides elsewhere
• Control over spending but not taxation
• New forms of interest aggregation (e.g. groups
  process) and articulation (e.g. parties)
• But has the debate moved on?

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Weeks 2-6 The New Politics

• MOST SUCCESS?
• Democratic deficit
• A proportional electoral system with a strong
  likelihood of coalition
• Fostering equality in the selection of candidates
  
• Constituency work
• The Scottish Policy Style

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Weeks 2-6 The New Politics

• POTENTIAL FOR SUCCESS
• A strong role for committees to initiate
  legislation, scrutinise the activity of the
  executive and conduct inquiries
• Closer links between state and civil society
  (e.g. petitions, the committee role)

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Weeks 2-6 The New Politics

• UNCERTAIN SUCCESS/ FAILURE?
• A consensual style of politics with a reduced
  role for party conflict
• Power sharing rather than executive dominance
• Scottish Civic Forum

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Week 3 Parties

• Key roles enhanced since devolution? (interest
  aggregation, choice, education, participation,
  linking government to the people)
• One-party dominance problem resolved?
• Is coalition a sign of success?
• Success of the small parties?
• More debate, more ideas?

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Weeks 5/6 - Scottish Government, Scottish
Governance

• More collegial cabinet system?
• Joined up government?
• A smaller central function (FM office, Treasury)
• Civil service a force of inertia?
• Lack of policy capacity in government? Linked to
  constitutional focus?
• Complexity of governance arrangements ministers
  and icebergs

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Weeks 6/7 Multi-level Governance

• Blurred policy boundaries, shared
  responsibilities
• Uncertain EU influence how do we measure it?
• Smooth intergovernmental relations?
• Formal (concordats, memorandum, JMC, Sewel
  motions) versus informal (ministers, parties,
  civil servants)
• Shifting relationship with local government?

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Week 8 Finance

• Barnett and incrementalism
• Clear Treasury power
• yet still Scotland receives more than its fair
  share despite breaking the previous deal
• New politics and finance?
• New local government finance?

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Week 9 Convergence and Divergence

• Causes of divergence and convergence?
• Evidence limited divergence further limited by
  implementation?
• Is divergence good and convergence bad?
• Is policy change good and stability/ inertia bad?
• Is the value of devolution the ability to stay
  the same in the face of the constant reform
  agenda in England? Or is this a sign of a lack
  of innovation/ ideas/ lagging behind?

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Power and Politics in Scotland

• Diffuse and concentrated? Pluralist and elitist?
• A focus on new forms of democracy points to
  Scottish Government power
• A focus on the Scottish Government points to the
  reservation of power (UK, EU) and the diffusion
  of power (policy communities, quangos, local
  government)

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The constitutional question

• SNP elected because of greater desire for
  independence or less fear about independence?
• Further change now inevitable?
• National conversation versus commission old
  politics?
• Agenda in England just as important?

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