Local governments in unitary and federal states: An examination on Latin America countries

In this study preapered as a master thesis, four Latin America States' local governments will be examined. Two of these states are unitary states while others are federal states. These states are Colombia, Peru, Brasil, Mexico as well as they were chosen according to population and surface criteria. In this study, unitary state, federal state forms and local governments in these state forms will be examined at first. Later on, how centeralism and decentralization principles are applied and perceived in unitary Latin America states and creation, functions, competences and organization of local governments in these states will be examined afterwards. In federal Latin America states, federal structure, federal government competences, states, state competences, and creation, functions, competences, organization of local governments of these countries will be examined. The aim of the study is to compare the structure of local government in selected federal and unitary states from Latin America with the assumptions of local government structures in federal and unitary states examined in the first section.