Chapter 4
Section 2
Growth of Federalism
Pages 72-75
Objectives
• 1. Explain how the federal government’s
involvement in states’ affairs has grown.
• 2. Describe how grants-in-aid have affected
the growth of federalism.
• 3. Identify the role of federal mandates in
federalism.
• Brainstorm ways in which the federal
government has become more influential in
your lives as you have gotten older.
• The federal government has also become
increasingly influential in the affairs of the
states as the country has grown older. In this
section you will learn about the ways that the
federal government has increased its influence
over state governments.
• States have always been concerned about the
federal governments involvement in their
affairs.
• Example: Civil War and the southern states
decision to secede.
Increasing Federal Involvement
• The FBI helps states solve major crimes and the
government allocates money to the National
Guard.
• Revenue sharing: federal tax dollars shared with
state and local governments. This concept no
longer exists since the 1980’s when federal
spending was cut.
• Federal grants are major sources of income for
state and local governments. States have to
follow rules and requirements set by the federal
government.
The Grant System
• Grants-in-aid: money or resources are used for
specific projects and programs authorized by
the federal government.
• Categorical Grants: used to carry out specific
activities. [ i.e. unemployment, floods, etc..]
need is based on the amount of aid that a
state or local government receives on certain
conditions [population]
• Block Grants: federal funds that can be used
by state and local governments-community
development, health, education, etc… The
block grants allow the states some flexibility to
determine how monies could be spent.
• States can determine their own priorities with
the block grant.
Federal Mandates
• Federal mandates: requirements that the
federal government imposes on state and
local governments. [environmental concerns
or health and safety of workers]
Forms of Mandates
• Three basic forms:
• One: law directing state or local governments to
take action on a particular issue. [asbestos in
public schools]
• Second: states the choice between undertaking
an activity themselves or having the federal
government do it.
• Third: federal mandates may come with strings
attached to the federal aid. [legal drinking age]
Debate over Mandates
• Many critics of federal mandates feel that the
federal government should provide the funds
to support their mandates. [voter
registration]
• The debate over balancing federal and state
interests continues.