What is federalism?
Federalism is a system of government in which political power is constitutionally divided between a central national government and constituent state or provincial governments, each holding genuine authority over specific matters.
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Core tenets
- Constitutional division of power
- A constitution specifically divides governing authority between a national government and constituent states or provinces, rather than the national government simply delegating power it could revoke at will.
- Dual sovereignty
- Both the national and state or provincial levels hold genuine, independent authority over their respective constitutional domains.
- Uniform national matters alongside local variation
- Certain matters, commonly defense or currency, are reserved to the national government, while others are left to vary by state or province.
How it works in practice
The specific division of authority between national and state or provincial governments varies significantly by country and is often a matter of ongoing legal and political dispute.
- Enumerated and reserved powers
- Constitutions typically specify particular powers granted to the national government, with remaining authority reserved to the states or provinces, or vice versa.
- Federal courts
- A judicial system, often with both national and state-level courts, resolves disputes over which level of government has authority over a given matter.
Common variants
- Symmetric federalism
- All constituent states or provinces hold the same degree of constitutional authority relative to the national government.
- Asymmetric federalism
- Different constituent regions hold different degrees of autonomy, often reflecting distinct historical, linguistic, or cultural circumstances.
What it is often confused with
Federalism is often confused with a unitary state that has simply delegated some administrative functions to regional offices; the defining feature of federalism is that the division of power is constitutionally protected, not revocable by the central government at will.
Criticisms and debates
Criticism of federalism centers on the tension between national uniformity and local self-governance.
Uniformity critique
Argues that federal systems allow significant variation in rights and services across constituent states, producing unequal treatment of citizens depending on where they live.
Response: Defenders argue that this variation reflects legitimate local self-governance and lets different regions tailor policy to local circumstances and preferences, rather than imposing a single national approach on everyone.
Coordination critique
Contends that dividing authority between national and state levels can slow response to problems requiring a unified national approach, such as certain public health or economic crises.
Response: Defenders note that federal systems typically retain national authority over exactly these kinds of coordination problems, reserving genuine local variation to matters better suited to local judgment.
Historical examples
- United States, since 1789
- Constitutionally divides authority between the federal government and individual states, a foundational and long-running example of federalism.
- Federal Republic of Germany, since 1949
- Divides authority between the federal government and its constituent states, the Lander, each with genuine constitutional authority over specified matters.
Sources
- 1.Madison, James, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay. The Federalist Papers. 1787 to 1788.
- 2.Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Federalism.
- 3.Encyclopaedia Britannica. Federalism.