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CHAPTER 2. FEDERALISM AND ITS FORMS
Lecturer: Abdilahi Mohamed Hussein
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Central government gives power to subnational governments (counties, provinces,
etc.).
Local governments typically have only those
powers granted to them by the central
government, rather than any reserved
powers.
Especially important is the central
government’s role as provider of funds.
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Power is retained by local
or regional governments.
Example:
The European Union
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Divides power between the national and
lower level governments
Each government has distinct powers that
the other governments cannot override.
Examples of federal systems: Australia,
Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Mexico, and
the United States
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The authors of the Constitution wanted to
combine a central government strong
enough to maintain order with strong
states.
The large geographical size of a country.
State governments have served as training
grounds for national politicians and as
laboratories in which new ideas can be
tested.
Federalism allows for many political
subcultures.
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A way for powerful
states to block
plans
Inequalities across
states
Some see expansion
of national powers
as a danger
Influence of James
Madison was critical
James Madison
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Scholars and political leaders alike have debated
the relative merits and drawbacks of federalism
since the founding of the republic.
Federal System
◦ Authority Divided
◦ Written Constitution
◦ Central Government and Constituent Governments
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Permits diversity,
diffusion of power
 Local governments can
handle local problems
 More access points for
political participation
 Protects individual rights
 Fosters experimentation
and innovation
 Suits large country with
diverse population
Advantages
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Makes national unity difficult
to achieve, maintain
 State governments may resist
national policies
 May permit economic
inequality, racial
discrimination
 Law enforcement and justice
are uneven
 Smaller units may lack
expertise and money
Disadvantages
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Enumerated Powers
◦ The Necessary and Proper Clause
◦ Specifically grated by Constitution
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Implied Powers
Inherent Powers (all sovereign nations)
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According to the Tenth Amendment, all
powers that were not delegated to the
national government belong to the states
In theory, states still retain all powers not
delegated to the national government, but
in reality the national government has
expanded the scope of governmental action
on a grand scale.
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The White House:
Symbol of the United States
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Police power:
In the United States,
most police power is
reserved to the states.
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Concurrent
Powers
Power to
Tax
National
Government
State
Government
Power To Make
and
Enforce Laws
Power To
Establish
Courts
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Power To
Police
(Limited)
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