What is Centralism (characteristics, concept and meaning)

What is Centralism

Centralism is a form of government that is characterized by a central power that brings together all the powers of the State and the necessary powers to create laws that affect the rest of the country.

Centralism is common in Ibero-American countries, influenced by Sevillian centralism, which at that time was the province that decided over the rest. In this sense, centralism is that political system that brings together decision-making in a central power without granting autonomy or sovereignty to other states.

Centralism in Mexico

After the withdrawal of Spain from Mexican territory, the organization of the country was divided into conservatives and liberals for the creation of the new Republic. In this sense, conservatives support centralism by wanting to establish a central Republic and liberals unite for federalism in a federal Republic.

Centralism and federalism

In this political conflict, Mexico passed through a first liberal federalist Constitution in 1824 that was later suppressed and replaced by the 1835 Constitution of a conservative and centralist nature. In this way, the first Mexican centralist Republic imposed by Antonio López de Santa Anna was transformed into a dictatorship until 1854, when the first discontent with the Ayutla Revolution broke out, demanding a liberal reform.

Characteristics of centralism

Mexican centralism reflected in the first centralist Republic of 1835 and preceded by Antonio López de Santa Anna, suppresses the 1824 Constitution of a liberal and federalist nature. The Constitution of 1835 is characterized by being the first Republic of centralism.

“The seven laws of centralism” brings together the characteristics that Mexico will take on in the years after its establishment. They are:

The central Republic as a form of government The states lose their autonomy, protecting limited powers The official religion is Catholic The 3 powers of the state are: the executive, the legislative and the judicial. The fourth power is added, called the Supreme Conservative Power, which is made up of 5 people The presidency is 8 years oldCitizen freedoms are restricted

Centralism and dictatorship

Mexican centralism occurs when the first centralist Republic is established in 1835 when Antonio López de Santa Anna returns to power. The Constitution of “The Seven Centralist Laws” is established and together with the establishment of the second centralist Republic in 1843, Santa Anna begins his dictatorship.

See also Dictatorship.

Only after the Ayutla Revolution in 1854 did the first steps towards Mexican liberal reform begin to be seen.

Difference between centralism and federalism

The main difference between centralism and federalism lies in the autonomy and sovereignty of the different states that make up the country. In Mexico, for example, the first federal Republic is reflected in the Constitution of 1924, which determines that all states are free, however, in the first central Republic with the Constitution of 1835, also called the “Seven centralist laws”, it is They restrict the powers of the states subject to central power.

See also Federalism.

Democratic centralism

Democratic centralism is a political ideology for the organization of political parties proposed in the thoughts of Karl Marx (1818-1883) and Lenin (1870-1924). Democratic centralism is that the political decisions of a party are made by bodies democratically elected by all members of the party.