Separation of powers
Separation of powers
States shared power with government
Separation of powers
Separation of powers
Because this is supposed to be a representative republic, not a centrally controlled government.
The framers gave more power to the federal govenrment. The Constitution contained coersive powers over the states. The new federal government held the power of taxation, and military might over the states. The new government was ratified by the people not the states and therefore the social contact was between the people and the federal government.
In establishing a federal system of government, the framers hoped to achieve a system whereby power in the country would be shared between the national government and state governments. Opinions vary regarding how successful this has been.
When did the balance of power in the U.S. federal system shift in favor of the national government having more power?
The US Constitution was constructed in a manner which displayed the Framers suspicions about politicians seeking an increasing level of power. Monarchies and mixed monarchies as in Great Britain, the Framers wished to avoid. By creating the so-called balance of powers in a three part central government would make it more difficult for an oligarchy to gain power. The fact is, and a fact based based on a true vision of the world, was that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. The Framers believed that individuals had a built in lust for power. The Federal government they created made it difficult to create radical changes. There would be "no Napoleon's of any Caesar's from their plan.
The framers wanted this because they didn't want the national government to get too strong and become a monarchy, like the one they just worked so hard to get out of. The constitution created a federal system as a compromise so that power of government would be shared between the states and federal government, and the federal government would not become too powerful. It was the only choice the founders thought they had in order to achieve this.
The US Constitution was constructed in a manner which displayed the Framers suspicions about politicians seeking an increasing level of power. Monarchies and mixed monarchies as in Great Britain, the Framers wished to avoid. By creating the so-called balance of powers in a three part central government would make it more difficult for an oligarchy to gain power. The fact is, and a fact based based on a true vision of the world, was that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. The Framers believed that individuals had a built in lust for power. The Federal government they created made it difficult to create radical changes. There would be "no Napoleon's of any Caesar's from their plan.
The framers wanted this because they didn't want the national government to get too strong and become a monarchy, like the one they just worked so hard to get out of. The constitution created a federal system as a compromise so that power of government would be shared between the states and federal government, and the federal government would not become too powerful. It was the only choice the founders thought they had in order to achieve this.