Federalism is a system of government in which the same territory is controlled by two levels of government. In the United States, federalism is a style of government where power is shared between the state, local, and national governments. The federal government has the power to regulate trade between states, declare war, manage the mail, and print money, among several other powers. The Constitution designates certain powers to be the domain of the central government, and others are specifically reserved to the state governments.
Some key characteristics of federalism include:
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Enumerated Powers: Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution describes specific powers which belong to the federal government. These powers are referred to as enumerated powers.
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Concurrent Powers: These are powers that are shared by both the federal government and state governments. This includes the power to tax, build roads, and create lower courts.
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Written Constitution: A written constitution is a key feature of federalism. It outlines the powers of the central government and the state governments, and serves as a framework for the division and sharing of power.
One benefit of federalism is that it creates "laboratories of democracy" across the country. This means states are free to try different policies and see what works best for their populations. Another benefit of federalism is that it protects the American people from tyranny, as power isnt concentrated at a single level of government.
Federalism is a compromise meant to eliminate the disadvantages of both unitary and confederal systems of government. Fewer than thirty modern countries have federal systems today, including Australia, Canada, Germany, Mexico, and the United States.
