The problem of the capital city. New research on federal capitals and their territory.

Abstract

Federal capitals often have special statutes. Compared with member states, they often enjoy a lower degree of self-government and, sometimes, a lesser share in the governing of the federation. Surprisingly, the burgeoning literature on asymmetric federalism has overlooked this feature, in spite of its importance for the relation between democratic equality, citizenship rights, and federalism. Can the asymmetric treatment of capitals be normatively justified, and if so, how? This book tries to fill the gap by asking for the normative foundations for each of three current arrangements. The "Federal District" model is represented by Washington, where asymmetries in self rule and shared rule are particularly sharp, and where we find a long history of considered federal arguments for and against the model. Berlin, Brussels and Moscow represent very different versions of the "capital-as-a-member-state" model, while Ottawa is a "city-inside-a-member-state". Therefore, our case studies highlight different features of de facto and de iure asymmetry in federations (between states/territories, between towns, between citizens). We will investigate why different models were chosen, what normative and practical advantages and inconveniences each model presents, and whether there are converging trends in the historic development of each model.