centralist

A centralist is someone who favors centralism, an approach to governance that concentrates political power and decision-making in a central government at the national level. Centralists typically seek strong national control over policy areas such as fiscal policy, defense, foreign affairs, and unified administration, with limited autonomy for subnational units.

Centralism is often contrasted with decentralization, federalism, and devolution. An ideology of centralism emphasizes uniform national standards, centralized resource allocation, and the ability to set policy across the entire country from a single center, sometimes arguing that this yields coherence, efficiency, and national unity.

Historically, centralist tendencies have appeared in many states. In unitary states, rulers have pursued centralized bureaucracies, taxation, and planning. Notable historical examples include France during the Ancien Régime and the Napoleonic era, which established strong centralized administration; and several Latin American republics in the 19th and early 20th centuries, where centralist factions challenged federalist ones.

In modern politics, centralism can appear during periods of national crisis or in debates over regional autonomy. Critics argue that centralized power can weaken local accountability, erode regional identities, and reduce policy experimentation, while supporters contend that it enables consistent policy, equal rights, and effective coordination. The term remains a descriptive label for a governing style that emphasizes a strong central authority rather than a fixed doctrine.