Federalism why was it created

These flaws prompted the Constitutional Convention of There, delegates from the 13 states drafted the Constitution to address the problems with the Articles of Confederation. The Constitution created a stronger central government to oversee national issues while keeping most power in the states. In the United States, the federal government has the power to regulate trade between states, declare war, manage the mail, and print money—among several other powers.

State governments have their own set of powers too. Notably, all power not granted to the federal government is reserved to the states and the people.

Those which are to remain in the State governments are numerous and indefinite. And then there are shared powers, also known as concurrent powers. Both the federal and state governments have the power to tax and establish courts, for example. After winning the war in , the new American citizens were very hesitant to create a powerful, centralized government.

But the Articles were too weak and gave states too much power. Federalism was a compromise. This means states are free to try different policies and see what works best for their populations. A good policy in Wyoming, for example, might not be the most effective policy for a bigger state such as California. Federalism allows states to adopt policies that best fit their needs. Federalism in America. Westport, Conn. Wood, Gordon. The Creation of the American Republic, — New York: W.

Norton and Co. Campbell, Jud. Federalism [electronic resource]. Other articles in Governmental Entities and Activities. Want to support the Free Speech Center? Donate Now. The First American Constitutions. Lanham, Md. Burnham, James. Congress and the American Tradition. Washington, D. Elazar, Daniel J. These are issues like economic policy, foreign policy and national defence. It also guarantees some level of autonomy to specific territorial units - which might be states, regions, or provinces.

These territorial units usually have autonomy over identity issues, like language and culture, regional economic development, infrastructure and public services. Federalism is a practical way of dealing with some - but not all - of the tough challenges and problems of coexistence that exist in diverse societies. What can it do for the people, but also what are its limitations? First, federalism can give people meaningful powers to choose policies that suit their specific needs in their own territories.

This might be based on identity. For example, they can choose what language they are to be educated in and to have news broadcast in that language. It might be control of local economic development - promoting local industries like agriculture, tourism and trade - or management of natural resources such as water, minerals and forests.

It might also be because the country is very large. This makes it hard to govern the entire country from the capital city. For example, Australia has no major cultural differences between states, but it would be hard to govern such a large territory from one location. Second, federalism disperses access to power, wealth and resources more widely to different territorial groups.

It may help promote both peace and stability by giving local people a stake in the system. It might also encourage better governance, with more equal economic development. Third, by satisfying demands for recognition, autonomy and resources, federalism might help ease political tensions and prevent secession. It might help countries that would otherwise fall apart, to hold together. Fourth, federalism is a safeguard against abuses of power. It limits the power of all governing institutions, thereby preventing any one person or institution from having too much power.