What are the main arguments for and against federalism?

Answer 1

The arguments for federalism in the United States and elsewhere involve a complex set of factors. First, for big countries, such as the United States , India, and Canada, federalism allows many functions to be "farmed out" by the central government to the states or provinces. The lower levels of government that accept these responsibilities can become the focus of political dissatisfaction and rather than the national authorities. Second, even with modern transportation and communication systems, the large area or population of some nations make it impractical to locate all political authority in one place. Finally, federalism brings government closer to the people. It allows more direct access to, and influence on, government agencies and policies, rather than leaving the population restive and dissatisfied with a remote, faceless, all-powerful central authority. Not everyone thinks federalism is a good idea. critics of federalism argue that too many Americans suffer as a result of the inequalities across the states. individual states differ markedly in educational spending and achievement, crime and crime prevention, and even the safety for their buildings. President Ronald Reagan once said, "The Founding Fathers saw the federalist system as constructed something like a masonry wall. The States are the bricks, the national government is the mortar....Unfortunately, over the years, many people have increasingly come to believe that Washington is the whole wall'

RESOURCES

American Government and Politics Today

the essentials by: Bardes Shelley Schmidt