regional confederations

June 24, 2016 7:15 PM

Sometime ago I read an argument for European nations - and by extension all nations - to devolve down to more manageble regional sizes, arguing that nations had grown too large and unweidly, and that regions were better suited for self-government in transational frameworks - think of an EU with Occitania, Liguria, and Bavaria etc., instead of France, Italy and Germany. The autor was I think Brit, maybe Scottish, possibly a MeFite. Ring any bells?

Having a hard time finding it now.

posted by the man of twists and turns to Writing & Language (2 answers total)

Such a common concept has been put forth by many authors. I am not sure any one can claim sole credit for it. I first encountered it as one of the design principles in architect Christopher Alexander's 1977 work A Pattern Language. All regions should devolve down into autonomous or semi-autonoumous states with a maximum population of 2-3 million to maximize local control, high standard of living, and environmental stewardship.
posted by seasparrow at 7:52 PM on June 24, 2016

You may be thinking in part of Europe, Equipopulous. European borders redrawn with nations the same size. Anglo-Mercia, Celtic Union, Rhone-Piedmont, Czecho-Silesia, Prussia etc.
posted by plep at 7:44 AM on June 26, 2016