India’s ‘Champagne-Pizza’ Federalism: How Centralisation And Predatory Politics Are Eroding State Autonomy

India is moving towards a champagne-and-pizza brand of federalism. In an era of predatory politics, federalism loses moorings worldwide, including the US and India. Democratic leaders embrace "I walk, you follow," treating citizens as conscripts. Centralisation surges as media and civil society falter as gatekeepers. Algorithms amplify outrage; leaders deploy the "dead cat" strategy—drown bad news in spectacle. Rome's "bread and circuses" endures, now as viral stunts and freebies.

From spectacle to institutional erosion

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Walter Benjamin foresaw this: capitalism swaps contemplation for distraction. We see political melodrama and post-truth politics. In India, federal institutions erode, echoing Daron Acemoglu and James Robinson's Why Nations Fail: inclusive institutions thrive nations; extractive ones doom them. Nehru championed institutional democracy; today, spectacle and lies make them extractive. "Cooperative federalism" rings hollow.

What federalism demands

Federalism demands robust design: decentralised parties, shared values, power-sharing. Michael Burgess notes it's no mere mechanism—it's institutionalised division. Core-periphery lines must hold; states must manage concurrency without intrusion. Think polyphony: harmonious, independent voices from the Centre, states, and locals. Yet democracy's erosion—V-Dem's 2025 report flags one-third of humanity in autocratic backslide—dims federal shine.

Erosion of democratic balance

Federalism is a daily plebiscite: honest talk, good-faith fights. Judge by uses, not abuses. It's normative, enabling policy labs—like Kerala's health model or Gujarat's industry push. But India risks a "monochromatic wasteland," per analysts. Prime ministerial rule centralises; institutions wobble amid paralysis and silence. Missing: plumbing—oversight bodies.

Weakening of institutions and oversight

Persuasion and gatekeepers sustain it, yet independents like CAG and the Election Commission are defanged, tilting to the Centre. Separation of powers becomes party lines; bureaucrats pledge allegiance to rulers. "Double-engine" governments mock federalism—Heather Gerken calls it treating opposition states as "theirs," not "ours." One-size-fits-all policies—like GST tweaks without state buy-in—undermine it.

Need for structural reform

Robust federalism needs architecture: clear incentives, not conflicting signals. Nationalists favour central lodges, scorning devolution. Yet federalism incentivises a "race to the top"—Telangana's pharma hubs inspire Tamil Nadu. It fosters choice and experimentation, and it averts Leviathan. Modi's tenure dismantles this scaffolding, per critics.

Lack of federal culture and rising tensions

India lacks federal culture; citizens must embrace it. "Cooperative federalism" is a rhetorical sleight of hand—like Magritte's "This is not a pipe." Erosion stems from executive tyranny, or "referee capture" (Levitsky-Ziblatt). States cry foul: funds withheld, like Karnataka's drought pleas ignored. The Centre acts as an invasive weed, states powerless.

Global comparisons and possible solutions

Global lessons abound. US federalism strains under Trump-era central grabs, yet states like California lead on climate. Canada's "executive federalism" balances via summits. Brazil's states innovate amid corruption. India could revive via NITI Aayog reforms: mandatory state consultations, fiscal equity (states get 50% GST share?), and an autonomous Finance Commission.

Rebuilding federalism

Rebuild with ethics, maps, and sturdy boats—institutional gardening. Revive Planning Commission-like forums without central bias. Empower governors neutrally. Judicial oversight on fund delays. Party decentralisation: BJP and Congress should foster state chapters. Citizen education: school curricula on federal roles.

Predatory "cooperative federalism" blends president-PM powers; states, bludgeoned limbs, obey. Journey to champagne-pizza federalism—flashy events (G20 summits) over substance—must halt. True federalism: symphony, not solo. India rebuilds by nurturing states as partners, not subordinates.

Ash Narain Roy

The author comments on global affairs.

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