Federalism Definition: System where power is divided between a national government and state/local governments

Constitutional Division of Powers Enumerated Powers – certain powers are expressed or delegated to the national government Concurrent Powers – some powers are shared by both the states and federal government Reserved Powers – All other powers are reserved for the individual states

State Powers Full Faith and Credit Clause – states must recognize, honor, and enforce another states actions Privileges and Immunities Clause – states cannot discriminate against residents of other states or give its own residents special privileges Tenth Amendment – powers not specifically delegated to the national government are reserved for the states

Benefits Prevents abuses of power by the central government Allows states to experiment with new ideas and solutions Allows flexibility – states can pass laws that reflect the needs of their citizens Encourages more political participation

Drawbacks Lack of consistency of laws and policies from state to state Sometimes creates conflict between state and federal officials

Types of Federalism

Dual Federalism National and state governments operate independently – strict division of powers

Cooperative Federalism National and state governments share some responsibilities – blending of powers

Regulated Federalism National government greatly expanded power over states – strict regulations

New Federalism Restored balance between state and national government – more control returned to states