WordGarden.iosubsidiarity
Pronunciation
UK
- /sˌʌbsɪdɪˈærɪti/
US
Meanings
Noun
the principle that decisions should be made by the smallest or most local authority capable of handling them
the Catholic social-teaching principle that higher authorities should support rather than replace lower communities
Beyond the definition
Imagine building a tower with Lego bricks. You could have one person build the whole thing from scratch, but it often works better if different people handle different sections. That is the basic idea behind subsidiarity. It says that decisions should be made at the most local level possible, by the people closest to the issue. Larger bodies, like central governments, should step in only when smaller groups cannot deal with the problem well on their own.
The word comes from Latin roots connected with the idea of "help" or "support"—larger groups are meant to help smaller ones when needed, but not take over completely. You will often hear it discussed in politics and social policy, especially in the European Union, where it is a core legal principle. It is about balancing power and letting communities manage their own affairs as much as possible.
Subsidiarity is a principle suggesting that decisions should be taken at the most local level possible—by individuals, families, or small communities—rather than by larger authorities like national governments or international organizations. The logic is that these smaller entities are best equipped to understand and address their own unique needs and challenges.
Think of it as a tiered system: if a problem can be solved effectively at the family level, then a government should not intervene. If the family cannot solve it, perhaps the local community should step in. Only when those levels fail should higher authorities take action. It is not about preventing larger entities from acting, but rather ensuring they only do so when absolutely necessary—as a form of support or assistance (from the Latin subsidium, meaning "help").
The principle has deep roots in Catholic social teaching and was famously articulated by Pope Pius XI in the 1930s as a defense against totalitarianism. Today, it is a cornerstone of political debates, particularly within the European Union. The EU operates on the principle of subsidiarity to ensure that decisions are made at the national or regional level whenever possible, with the central body intervening only when an action is more effective at a higher level.
However, defining exactly when a problem requires intervention from a larger authority can be tricky and often leads to heated debate. Proponents argue it promotes local autonomy and responsiveness, while critics sometimes worry it can be used to avoid responsibility or hinder progress on issues that require broad, unified coordination. Ultimately, subsidiarity is about finding the delicate balance between local control and centralized action.
Examples
- 1
Local government
The mayor said the problem should be solved locally, in line with subsidiarity.
- 2
EU policy
Critics argued that the new EU rule violated subsidiarity by taking decisions away from member states.
- 3
Legal principle
The court had to decide whether the law respected the principle of subsidiarity.
- 4
Catholic teaching
In Catholic social teaching, subsidiarity is often discussed alongside solidarity.
See also
Similar
- decentralization
- devolution
- local control
Shades of meaning
- home rule
- bottom-up governance
- principle of proximity
Contrast
- centralization
- top-down control
Do not confuse
Used with (collocations)
- principle of subsidiarity
- subsidiarity principle
- apply subsidiarity
Word family
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Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- subsidiaritynoun