US Federalism (Edexcel A Level Politics): Revision Note

The federal system of government

• Federalism refers to the system of shared sovereignty in the USA, where power is divided between the federal (national) government and state governments, with each having authority over different policy areas

• The federal government refers to the three branches of national government:

  • Congress

  • the President

  • the Supreme Court

Constitutional basis of federalism

• The powers of the federal government are enumerated in Articles I–III of the US Constitution

• The powers of the states are protected by Amendment X, which states:

  • “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.”

• This creates a system in which:

  • both federal and state governments possess sovereignty

  • neither level can simply abolish the other

Federal government and the US states

• Whilst federalism shares power between the federal and state governments, the vague nature of the US Constitution has resulted in disputes over where power should lie

Federal vs state power in practice

Overall evaluation of federalism

• Federalism can be considered effective because:

  • it allows states to reflect local values

  • it limits the concentration of power at the national level

• However, federalism can also be considered ineffective because:

  • it creates inequality between states

  • citizens’ rights can vary significantly depending on where they live

• Although the federal government dominates funding and is constitutionally supreme in law (Article VI):

  • states retain significant autonomy

  • state powers are protected by Amendment X