Heildarstjórn

Heildarstjórn is a term used in Icelandic public administration and political discourse to denote governance in which decision-making power is concentrated at a central authority and local or regional levels have little autonomy. The term combines heildar- “whole, total” with stjórn “governance, administration.” In practice, heildarstjórn implies uniform policy development, centralized budgeting, standardized rules, and close state supervision of service delivery across sectors such as health, education, transport, and welfare.

While proponents argue that centralization can improve consistency, efficiency, and strategic planning, critics warn that heildarstjórn can reduce local responsiveness, hinder innovation, and create accountability gaps between elected representatives and citizens.

Historically, discussions of heildarstjórn have appeared in debates about central planning and unitary administrative systems, as well as in analyses of crisis governance where rapid, coordinated action is prioritized. The concept is not tied to a single ideology and can appear in discussions of both welfare state administration and authoritarian regimes, depending on the context.

See also: centralization, decentralization, administrative centralization, public administration, governance.