Absence of a Red-tape is a merit of

1. Analyze the question "Red-tape" means excessive bureaucracy, with long procedures, many approvals and delays in decision-making. The question asks which system of government has the absence of red-tape as a merit, meaning decisions are made quickly with few bureaucratic hurdles.

2. Explain the concept

• Unitary system: Power is concentrated in one central government. Regional or local bodies get their authority from the centre. Because there is one source of authority, decisions and policies flow quickly and are applied uniformly. This means little bureaucratic delay.
• Federal system: Power is shared between the central and state/regional governments. Coordinating several levels of government often leads to duplication, negotiation and delay, which is more red-tape.
• Confederal system: Member states are the stronger units and the centre is weak. Decisions need agreement from the members, which makes them slow.
• Republican: This describes a form of government (a head of state who is not a monarch). It is not a structure of power distribution, so it is not relevant to red-tape.

3. Step-by-step solution

1. Red-tape comes from many layers of authority and the need for approvals.
2. The system with the fewest layers and a single decision-making centre is the unitary system.
3. So the unitary system is the one where decisions are quick and red-tape is absent.

4. Answer The correct option is B. unitary structure.

5. Exam tip Link the words to the system:

• Unitary → quick decisions, uniformity, less red-tape, but it can lead to dictatorship and neglect of minorities.
• Federal → cost and duplication, but it protects local autonomy.
• Confederal → weak centre, slow decisions.