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Defining Federalism ch03
Defining Federalism ch03
• Autocracy (dictatorship)
• Oligarchy (rule by a small group)
• Constitutional monarchy
Government under the Articles of
Confederation, 1781-1788
• The confederation was a union of
states in which the central government
received power from the states and
had no direct authority over the people.
• In practice, it was unable to force
states to pay the taxes they owed and
remained a weak system of
government.
Government under U.S. Constitution (Federation): 1789 -
The Flow of Power in Three Systems of
Government
Advantages of Federalism
• Federalism checks the growth of tyranny
• Federalism allows unity without
uniformity
• Federalism encourages experimentation
• Federalism keeps government closer to
the people
– Training for national officials
– More arenas for public participation
Federal Systems
Advantages Disadvantages
• Permits diversity and • Makes national unity difficult
diffusion of power to achieve and maintain
• Local governments can • State governments may
handle local problems resist national policies
better • May permit economic
• More access points for inequality and racial
political participation discrimination
• Protects individual rights • Law enforcement and
against concentrated justice are uneven
government power • Smaller units may lack
• Fosters experimentation expertise and money
and innovation • May promote local
• Suits a large country with dominance by special
a diverse population interests
Number of Governments in the
United States
3,143
Number of Governments
• In America there are close to 89,000
governments.
• About half of these units are school or
other special districts, and many of the
remaining governments are townships
and municipalities.
• there are over 3,000 counties
• 50 state governments and one federal
government.
Quick Assessment
1) The advantages of federalism are that
it
A) creates a unified governmental
system
B) encourages experimentation
C) checks the growth of tyranny
D) All of the above
2) In a unitary system of government, a
constitution places all governmental
power
A) with all of the systems of government
B) with the central government
C) with the localities
D) with the state government
An Expanding Nation
• A great advantage of federalism and
part of the genius and flexibility of our
constitutional system—has been the
way in which we acquired territory and
extended rights and guarantees by
means of statehood, commonwealth,
or territorial status, and thus grew from
13 to 50 states, plus territories.
Admission of States to the Union
Louisiana Purchase - 1803
Florida - 1819
Texas - 1845
Oregon - 1846
Mexican Cession - 1848
Gadsden Purchase - 1853
Alaska - 1867
Hawaii - 1898
Philippines - 1898 to1946
Puerto Rico - 1899
Guam - 1899
American Samoa - 1900
Canal Zone - 1904 to 2000
U.S. Virgin Islands - 1917
Pacific Islands Trust Territory
- 1947
Admission of States to the Union
Formal Constitutional
Framework
• The national government has only those
powers delegated to it by the Constitution
• The national government is supreme
• The state governments have residual
powers; meaning those neither assigned to
the national government nor denied to the
states
• Some powers are specifically denied to both
the national government and the state
government
The U. S. Constitution is the supreme law of the land. It
sets forth arrangements such as checks and balances,
federalism, separation of powers, rule of law, due
process, and the protection of individual rights.
Distribution of Power
(SHARED POWERS)
Concurrent
Powers
National State
Government Government
Police Power:
In the U.S., most police power
is reserved to the states.
3) State regulation of their economies
have led some business interests to
call for
A) state compacts
B) decreased federal control
C) increased federal regulation
D) none of the above
Interstate Relations
• Article IV of the Constitution attempts
to resolve potential problems between
states by stipulating the following:
• Full faith and credit
• Privileges and
immunities
• Extradition
• Interstate compacts
Political Culture: Reflected in State’s Policies
Gay couples renew their vows to each other in this ceremony in San
Francisco's Metropolitan Community church.
States must give full faith and credit to each other’s
public acts, records, and judicial proceedings; extend
to each other’s citizens the privileges and immunities
it gives its own; and return fugitives from justice.
The Role of the Federal Courts:
Umpires of Federalism
• Categorical “Strings-Attached”
Grants
• Formula Grants
• Project Grants
• Block Grants
• Federal Mandates
Utility of Federal Grants
• To supply state and local governments
with revenue
• To establish minimum national
standards for such things as highways
and clean air
• To equalize resources among states
• To attack national problems yet
minimize the growth of federal
agencies
Quick Assessment
1) Federal grants serve four purposes,
one of which is to
A) equalize state revenues.
B) provide government with a way to
levy more taxes.
C) supply the Supreme Court with
revenue.
D) supply the state and local
governments with revenue.
2) Which type of federal grants "are
allocated by formula and are subject
to detailed federal conditions?"
A) block grants
B) categorical-formula grants
C) project grants
D) revenue-sharing grants
3) If you are not a government agency
but have a proposal for a program, you
might apply for a
A) loan
B) special-funds grant
C) project grant
D) none of the above
4) A rule or regulation handed down to
the states without money attached is
called
A) unfunded mandates
B) unitary government
C) regulatory infringement
D) line-item regulation
Accomplishments of Federal Authority
• Civil rights & the War on Poverty
• Economic relief
• States favor the status quo
The Shift
Toward Central
Government
Spending
The Politics of Federalism, a
Republican Issue
• The Growth of Big Government
• The Devolution Revolution: Rhetoric Versus
Reality
• “New Federalism.” Beginning with President Richard
Nixon (1969–1974), the Republican Party championed
devolution, or the transfer of powers from the national
government to the states. They called this policy
federalism, a new use of the term.
• Under current conditions liberals may have pragmatic
reasons to support states’ rights in some instances, such
as in gay rights issues.
A new survey from
the Pew Research
Center finds wide
gaps in how different
generations view
politics.