Advantages of Federal System
The main advantages of the federal structure of government are:
1. Centralisation of powers leads to dictatorship. The federal system safeguards the separation of powers and thus prevents tyranny or dictatorship.
2. As power is divided between the union and the state, this structure is efficient in terms of governance and administration.
3. The state or provinces enjoy some separate rights.
4. The division of powers between the central and state government brings excellent utilisation of resources. The central government can focus more on international affairs and the country’s defence, while the state government can deal with the regional needs.
Disadvantages of Federal System
Along with the advantages of the federal system, there are also some disadvantages. These are:
1. This system of government is costly because there are many people elected to the office, both at the center and in the states.
2. Too many elected representatives with overlapping roles may lead to corruption.
3. It enables regional inequalities as the natural resources, employment opportunities, etc., are different in every region or state.
4. The decision-making process becomes more difficult sometimes.
Advantages of Unitary System
The main advantages of the unitary structure of government are:
1. For countries that are smaller in size, a unitary structure is the most suitable.
2. It is less expensive as there is no extensive authority to be funded.
3. Unitary structure is quick in decision-making as all the decisions are made by a single authority.
4. There is no chance of conflicts as all the power is vested with the centre.
Disadvantages of Unitary System
A unitary system of government is a good system for small nations. Yet, it still has disadvantages too. And, these are:
1. The unitary system is not suitable for geographically large countries. Because in unitary system full power is only in the hands of centre and they may probably not have access to rural areas.
2. Central government may not have any knowledge about the problems and needs of the people living in rural areas.
3. There is a lack of efficiency as the central government is usually burdened with lots of responsibilities and functions.
4. Under the unitary form of government, the country may face unequal development and growth. The central government can find it extremely tough to develop every part of the nation at the same time without delegation of authority and powers.