Structure axis
Federal vs Unitary
Should power live in local and regional governments, or in one national government?
This axis is about where decisions are made, not how much the state does. A strong Federal score means you trust local communities to know their own needs and like the idea of regions testing different policies. A strong Unitary score means you value the same rules for everyone and worry that local rule lets some places treat minorities worse.
Federal
Power should sit as close to people as possible. Regions and towns write many of their own laws, and the national government handles only what they cannot.
Statements that score Federal
- “There is no need for a national government.”
- “Local governments should have more power than they currently do.”
- “Local governments can understand their citizens better than the national government could.”
Unitary
One strong national government keeps laws consistent everywhere, protects every citizen equally and stops regions pulling the country apart.
Statements that score Unitary
- “There is no need for local or state governments.”
- “The national government needs more power.”
- “A country cannot function without a national government.”
Result labels
Your score is the percentage toward Federal. The label shown on your result depends on which band it falls in.
- 91-100%Confederal
- 76-90%Federational
- 61-75%Federal
- 40-60%Centrist
- 25-39%Unitary
- 10-24%Centralized
- 0-9%Extremely Centralized
Where do you land on structure?
Take the test to see your score on this axis and the other eleven.
Take the 12 Axes test