Simone Lawson
Federalism is a system of government where power is divided between the national government and state and local governments. It is one of the ways in which the US Constitution guards against tyranny. The Constitution was formed to give more power to the national government while protecting citizens' rights. Federalism, along with a system of checks and balances, separation of powers, and a balance of power between small and large states, ensures that no single institution has excess power.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Separation of Powers | Judiciary, Executive, and Legislature |
| Checks and Balances | Preventing any branch from gaining too much power |
| Federalism | Power shared between national and state/local governments |
| Balance of Power | Equal representation from all states |
| System of Government | Multiple layers of government with each layer acting as a check on the other |
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What You'll Learn
Federalism divides power between national and state governments
Federalism is a system of government in which power is divided between a national government and state or local governments. It is a key feature of the US Constitution, established in 1787, and a guard against tyranny.
Under federalism, the national government is responsible for running the country, including developing a common currency, conducting foreign relations, and declaring war. Meanwhile, state governments are responsible for building schools, collecting taxes, creating local governments, and passing state laws. This division of powers means that no one government body holds all the power, and they are required to work together to benefit the citizens of the nation.
The US Constitution was created with fears of tyranny in mind. Tyranny is when all power is placed in the hands of a single entity, typically referring to a government. Federalism helps to prevent this by spreading power across different layers of government, creating a balance where each layer can act as a check on the other. This is known as a system of checks and balances, where no single institution has excess power, and each branch of government can keep the others in check.
James Madison, in Federalist 51, explained how federalism should make tyranny unlikely:
> "the power surrendered by the people, is first divided between two distinct governments, [and] hence a double security arises to the rights of the people. The different governments will control each other."
However, it is important to note that federalism is not a guarantee against tyranny. There are instances where federal systems have been harnessed for authoritarian purposes, and federalism played a role in the racialized discrimination and tyranny against people of color during the Jim Crow era in the US.
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Separation of powers
Federalism is a system of government where power is divided between the national government and state and local governments. The US Constitution was created in 1787 with the explicit aim of preventing tyranny. Tyranny is a situation in which all power is placed in the hands of a single entity, typically in reference to a government.
The Constitution guards against tyranny through the separation of powers, dividing power between the three branches of government: the Judiciary, Executive, and Legislature. Each branch has separate and independent sources of power: the Judiciary derives its power from the Supreme Court, the Executive from the presidency, and the Legislature from Congress. This separation of powers prevents any one branch from taking control and ensures that no individual holds too much power, thus preventing tyranny.
The system of checks and balances further enhances the separation of powers by allowing each branch to check and balance the power of the others. This system acts as a safeguard, ensuring that no single branch or institution becomes too powerful and providing a means to neutralise bad legislation. James Madison, in Federalist 51, explained this concept as follows:
> "The power surrendered by the people, is first divided between two distinct governments, [and] hence a double security arises to the rights of the people. The different governments will control each other."
The US Constitution's separation of powers and system of checks and balances have been effective in preventing absolute tyranny since the Constitution's inception in 1789.
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Checks and balances
Federalism is a system of government in which power is divided between the national government and state and local governments. It is one of the ways in which the US Constitution guards against tyranny. The Constitution was formed to give more power to the national government while also protecting the rights of the citizens. Federalism, therefore, ensures that no single institution has excess power.
The system of checks and balances is a crucial feature of federalism and is considered one of the most effective ways the Constitution guards against tyranny. Checks and balances refer to the ability of each branch of the government to check the power of the others. The US Constitution divides the government into three branches: the Judiciary, the Executive, and the Legislature. Each branch has separate powers and sources of authority. The Judiciary derives its powers from the Supreme Court, the Executive has powers within the presidency, and the Legislature gains its power from Congress.
The separation of powers and the system of checks and balances ensure that no single branch of the government can gain too much power and rule independently. Each branch acts as a check on the others, preventing any one branch from becoming tyrannical. This system also helps to keep the government's operations smoother and more balanced.
The US Constitution also ensures equal representation from all states, with each state having one representative and two senators. This distribution of power across geographic locations further prevents tyranny by making it harder for one branch or institution to influence another.
Overall, the system of checks and balances, in conjunction with federalism and the separation of powers, effectively guards against tyranny by distributing power and providing necessary restraints on the government.
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The 2nd Amendment
Federalism is a system of government where power is divided between the national government and state and local governments. It is one of the ways in which the US Constitution guards against tyranny.
The Constitution was established in Philadelphia in 1787 to give more power to the national government while protecting the rights of the citizens. Federalism was provided for in the Constitution to guard against tyranny by either the state or national governments.
Federalism spreads the balance of power and each layer of government acts as a check on the other. This is achieved through the three branches of government: the Judiciary, the Executive, and the Legislature. Each branch has separate powers and is able to check the others, preventing any one branch from taking control on its own.
The US Constitution also guards against tyranny by ensuring equal representation from all states. This means that each state has one representative and two senators, ensuring that all 50 states have equal power.
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Federalism and the Electoral College
Federalism is a system of government where power is divided between the national government and state and local governments. It is a way to guard against tyranny by preventing any one branch of government from having too much power. The US Constitution, formed in 1787, was established with federalism, a system of checks and balances, separation of powers, and a balance of power between small and large states.
The Electoral College is a unique blend of democracy and federalism in America's presidential election system. It is a decentralised process where elections are conducted on a state-by-state basis, with each state having the same number of electors as it has members of Congress. This system emerged as a compromise between large and small states, reflecting the balance of power between them. The Electoral College ensures that presidential candidates build national coalitions of voters, rather than focusing on regional majorities or special interest groups.
Critics of the Electoral College argue for a simple popular democracy, where votes for a candidate are combined across state boundaries. They claim that the current system results in "wasted votes" when a ballot is cast for the minority candidate in a state. Supporters of the Electoral College respond that these votes are not wasted, as they represent the losing side of a statewide election.
The Electoral College is a key example of federalism in action, demonstrating how the US Constitution guards against tyranny by distributing power across different levels of government and ensuring that no single branch or entity holds all the power.
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Frequently asked questions
Federalism guards against tyranny by sharing power among different layers of government, preventing any one branch from having too much power. This system of checks and balances ensures that each layer of government acts as a check on the other.
Federalism is a system of government where power is divided between the national government and state and local governments.
The US Constitution guards against tyranny through federalism, separation of powers, checks and balances, and equal representation from all states.
