Simone Lawson
Federalism is a mode of political organization that divides power between a national government and subordinate governments, allowing each to maintain its own integrity. In a constitutional republic, federalism is important because it brings government closer to the people, giving state governments substantial power to promote the health, safety, and welfare of their residents. Federalism in a constitutional republic also allows states to shape policies that serve a diverse nation, with laws that fit their specific communities. The US Constitution created the first modern federal system, with the national government conceived as having limited and enumerated powers, and the states retaining powers to protect the rights of their citizens.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Division and sharing of power between national and state governments | Allows states to shape policies that serve a diverse nation |
| Uniting separate states within an overarching political system | Enables states to write laws that best fit their community |
| Assigning political responsibility | Protects individual liberty from arbitrary power |
| Maintaining integrity of separate states | Empowers states to promote the health, safety, and welfare of their residents |
| Non-centralization | Permits substantial influence over the constitutional-amending process |
| Written constitutions | Provides a unified national government with limited powers |
| Guaranteed representation in the national legislature | Allows states to maintain autonomy |
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What You'll Learn
Federalism brings government closer to the people
Federalism is a system of government that divides power between a national government and individual state governments. This division of powers is outlined in a written constitution, which can only be altered by extraordinary procedures.
Secondly, federalism provides direct lines of communication between citizens and their various governments. Citizens can elect representatives to all levels of government, and these governments administer programs that directly serve individual citizens. This enables citizens to engage directly with their government on relevant issues.
Thirdly, federalism allows for political experimentation at the state level. States can experiment with different approaches to governance, which can serve as a testing ground for potential national policies. This strengthens democratic engagement and reflects diverse public opinions.
Finally, federalism offers a division of labour between the national and state governments. The national government can focus on primary public obligations, while state governments handle "secondary affairs", or society's countless "local affairs". This helps the central government to prioritise effectively.
Overall, federalism brings government closer to the people by empowering state governments, providing direct lines of communication, enabling political experimentation, and facilitating a division of labour between national and state governments.
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Federalism divides power between national and state governments
Federalism is a mode of political organisation that unites separate states or polities within a single overarching political system. This allows each state or polity to maintain its own integrity while also being part of a unified national government. Federalism is important in a constitutional republic because it divides power between the national government and the states, giving states substantial power to promote the health, safety, and welfare of their residents.
The US Constitution, for example, embodies the basic concept of federalism by dividing and sharing power between the national and state governments. The Tenth Amendment to the US Constitution reinforces this principle: "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people."
Federalism is not a common governing system. Of the nearly 200 countries in the world, only about two dozen divide power and sovereignty between a central government and subordinate governments. In addition to the United States, other federal systems include Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Nigeria, India, and Germany. Large, geographically and culturally diverse countries are more likely to have federal systems.
The division of power between the national and state governments is not always clear-cut, and the boundaries between their powers are often contested. The US Supreme Court, for example, has frequently invoked certain constitutional provisions when determining that Congress has exceeded its constitutional powers and infringed upon state sovereignty. Similarly, in Germany during the late 19th century, Prussia dominated the other states in the federal empire, limiting their opportunity to provide national leadership or a strong alternative to the king's policies.
Federalism is important in a constitutional republic because it brings government closer to the people. By empowering states to shape policy, federalism allows states to write laws that best fit their communities within a diverse nation.
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Federalism promotes noncentralization
Federalism is a mode of government that combines a general level of government (a central or federal government) with a regional level of sub-unit governments, dividing governing powers between the two levels. It differs from confederalism, where the central government is subordinate to the regional states, and from a unitary state, where the regional level is subordinate to the central government. Federalism is notable for its regional separation of governing powers.
The United States is an example of a noncentralized federal system. Both its national and state governments derive their authority directly from the people, so neither is subordinate to the other. Any amendment to the US Constitution requires action from both the national government and the states, illustrating the diffusion of power in the system.
Non-centralized federalism tends to emphasize historical analysis and community-based approaches. Advocates argue for an individual-focused approach, with solutions driven by the individual consumer acting in market transactions rather than through collective decision-making. This aligns with classical liberalism, which emphasizes limited government and individual rights. In individualistic political cultures, non-centralized federalism suggests limited government at all levels and reliance on the marketplace to meet demands or solve problems.
Proponents of federal systems argue that the inherent structures of checks and balances and power-sharing reduce threats from both foreign and domestic sources. Federalism enables a state to be both large and diverse, mitigating the risk of a central government turning tyrannical.
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Federalism allows states to shape policy
Federalism is a system of government that divides power between the national government and state governments. It is important in a constitutional republic because it allows states to shape policy in ways that serve the diverse needs of their communities. This is in line with the Founding Fathers' belief that state governments were closest to the people and could therefore write laws that best fit their communities.
Federalism allows states to act as "laboratories of democracy", as described by U.S. Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis. States can independently test ideas and adopt policies that are tailored to their populations' needs. For example, a policy that works in a small state like Wyoming might not be as effective in a larger state like California.
The division of powers between federal and state governments also ensures that power is not concentrated at one level or within one branch of government, making it difficult for a single entity to take control. This protects the American people from tyranny.
While the federal government has powers such as regulating trade between states, declaring war, managing mail, and printing money, states have their own set of powers. These include overseeing education, roads, police departments, elections, and more.
In addition to these distinct powers, there are also shared powers, or concurrent powers, between the federal and state governments. For example, both levels of government have the power to tax and establish courts. However, when conflicts arise between federal and state laws, federal laws take priority due to the "Supremacy Clause" in Article VI of the Constitution.
Despite this, states retain substantial powers to promote the health, safety, and welfare of their residents. For example, states have pushed back against federal authority over the drug trade by legalizing marijuana for medical and recreational use. Similarly, during the COVID-19 pandemic, state authority over public safety, schools, and businesses within their borders clashed with federal authority over critical nationwide issues.
Federalism thus allows states to shape policy by granting them a degree of autonomy and the power to address issues that are relevant to their specific needs and populations.
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Federalism maintains state autonomy
Federalism is important in a constitutional republic as it ensures that power is divided and shared between the national and state governments. This division of power is a basic concept embodied in the US Constitution, which does not mention the term "federalism" but outlines its principles.
In his work, "The American Commonwealth," Lord Bryce observed that even after the Civil War, state sovereignty and dual federalism were maintained. Dual federalism refers to two systems fulfilling distinct purposes with minimal overlap. American states were thus able to create their own legal systems and governmental institutions, retaining significant sovereignty as long as they did not challenge the authority of the national government in its constitutionally authorized areas.
The unique aspect of American federalism is the ability of state and local governments to create special purpose districts, which play a significant role in promoting community sustainability. This aligns with the concept of asymmetric federalism, where states are granted different powers or greater autonomy in recognition of their distinct cultures or historical contexts.
Federalism also assigns political responsibility by creating two distinct lines of political accountability: one between citizens and the federal government, and another between citizens and the states. This ensures that the federal government does not hold complete jurisdiction over all aspects of public life, thereby protecting individual liberty from arbitrary power.
In conclusion, federalism in a constitutional republic is essential for maintaining state autonomy by dividing power, recognizing cultural diversity, promoting community sustainability, and ensuring political accountability. It allows states to shape policies that best fit their communities while preserving the Founding Fathers' vision of a unified nation with limited national government powers.
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Frequently asked questions
Federalism is a mode of political organization that unites separate states or other polities within an overarching political system, allowing each to maintain its own integrity.
Federalism is important in a constitutional republic as it divides power between the national government and the states, allowing state governments to shape policy in ways that serve a diverse nation.
Federalism brings government closer to the people, allowing them and their elected officials to write laws that best fit their community. It also protects the liberty of individuals from arbitrary power by denying any one government complete jurisdiction over all concerns of public life.
The US Constitution does not use the term "federalism" but embodies its principles. Federalism in the US context involves dividing and sharing power between the national and state governments, with the national government having limited and enumerated powers, and the states retaining substantial powers to promote the health, safety, and welfare of their residents.
