McGill Journal of Political Studies 2014 April, 2014 | Page 18

Abstract
Countries have often adopted federalist ideas as a solution for resolving collective-action
problems and for addressing regional needs. Considering the benefits of federalism inherent to its design, why a unitary state such as Italy has been better able to accommodate
regional tensions within its borders than a federal country, such as Canada, warrants
explanation. Using a qualitative comparative approach, this paper examines the pre-institutional factors of common history and national language, as well as institutional factors of reform th