Decentramento e accentramento nel Francia della Restaurazione

The essay delves into the debate on centralization (the term was coined in 1820s) and decentralization in French Restoration (1815-1830) to explain how political opportunism played an important role. Although decentralization was advocated by both royalists and liberals, hidden political agendas and tactical consideration resulted in the failure of all attempts to reform the local administration. But despite this failure, the debate was important from and intellectual and theoretical point of view. Although some of its advocates emphasized practical considerations first and foremost, arguing that centralization made the administration slower and less and less efficient, more often the proponents of decentralization focused on general political considerations. Different types of arguments were developed to plead for decentralization. They objected against centralization because it violated local communities right to make decisions about their own interests, claiming that local self-government was necessary not only for individual freedom, but above all to instill patriotism in the population.