Bargaining federalism
Topic: Federalism and Centre-State Relations · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
Bargaining federalism is W.H. Morris-Jones's way of describing how Indian federalism works in practice. He said the Union and the states do not simply follow fixed rules. Instead, they keep bargaining and negotiating with each other over powers, money and policy. The idea matters because it shows that Centre-state relations depend on politics as much as on the Constitution.
Example
After 1989-90, coalition governments and regional parties became powerful at the Centre. States could then bargain harder with the Union. This led to what NCERT calls "more mature federalism".
Don't confuse with
- Cooperative federalism: this is Granville Austin's term. It stresses the Union and states working together as partners, not bargaining as rivals.
- Quasi-federalism: this is K.C. Wheare's term for a federation that leans towards the Union. It describes the structure, not the process of negotiation.