Philosophy
Federalism and Subsidiarity as Political Philosophy
Quick fact
The principle of subsidiarity, enshrined in the European Union's founding treaties, holds that the EU should act only when member states cannot achieve the objective better on their own—yet this philosophy remains surprisingly controversial in practice, shaping everything from environmental policy to banking regulation.
Why this is interesting
You're used to the idea that a national government makes the big decisions. But what if the real principle is that no decision should be made at a higher level than necessary?