Länder Governance in a Global Era: The Case of Hesse

Subnational governments in federal systems are among the institutions being buffeted by economic trends and institutional developments associated with globalization. While the national governments' ability to maintain policy autonomy in a global age is frequently examined, less attention has been devoted to the subnational leaders' capacity for responding to global circumstances while still preserving the traditions and priorities of their jurisdictions. This article explores the responses of a single German Land, Hesse, to international events between 1982 and 1999. The analysis concentrates first on changes in governmental structure and procedure that reflect developments in Hesse's global environment, and then on changes in economic and environmental policy, a policy domain central to Hessian politics throughout the period. Hesse's political leadership has not been able to insulate the Land from global pressures, but by acknowledging their distinct circumstances, they have shaped institutions and policies in ways that have enhanced their ability to derive significant advantage from trends originating outside their borders. Copyright , Oxford University Press.