Colonial federations limited officials’ authority to concentrate power in the governor general.

Evidence

The role of these inspectorates was not to overcentralize, but to supervise from above (haute direction), and to exercise overall control (controle permanent). 19 Departmental heads were regarded as inspectors in chief and technical advisers, whose opinions and recommendations Roume alone could transform into directives. To highlight the advisory nature of the different bureaus and inspectorates, Roume denied their heads the right to correspond directly with their counterparts in the colonies. — Alice L. Conklin, A Mission to Civilize_ The Republican…, 161

Categorization

• DEFINE: Clarifies the republican-colonial technique of ‘haute direction’ versus centralized control — supervision-without-authority as an administrative doctrine.