devolution

1. (derogatory) Degeneration.Examples: "It is quite disheartening to witness the devolution of our nation's political discourse over the past several years."; "He is the place where the devolution from Heaven and the evolution from earth meet."Synonyms: degradationAntonyms: evolution, developmentderogatory

2. (government) The transfer of some powers and the delegation of some functions from a central government to local government (e.g. from the U.K. parliament to Scottish parliament and Welsh assembly).Examples: "The question of whether England should receive devolution like Scotland and Wales have has dogged British politics for years."; "Governments like devolution because it gives ministers someone else to blame for problems."; "By the 1974 general election, the Scottish National Party (SNP) were polling at 30% and there were growing calls for devolution."