AMERICAN GOVERNMENT Political Change and Institutional Development

1.	The Origins of American Political Principles
2.	The Revolution and the Constitution
3.	Federalism and American Political Development
4.	Political Socialization and Public Opinion
5.	The Mass Media and the Political Agenda
6.	Interest Groups and Social Movement
7.	Political Parties
8.	Voting, Campaigns, and Elections
9.	Congress: Lawmaking and Domestic Presentation
10.	The President: Governing in Uncertain Times
11.	Bureaucracy: Redesigning Government for the Twenty-First Century
12.	The Federal Courts: Activism versus Restraint
13.	Civil Liberties and Civil Rights: Balance or Conflict?
14.	Government, the Economy, and Domestic Policy
15.	America’s Place in a Dangerous World

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Chapter Three: Federalism and American Political Development

Review

In this chapter, we examined the role that federalism has played in the political development of the American state. First, we defined federalism as it relates to the division of power between unit and sub-unit level actors in contrast to the more commonly seen unitary and less common confederalized systems around the world and in history. Then, we looked at the codification of federalism within the constitutional order regarding implied, inherent and concurrent powers. Finally, we observed the historical development of federalism from its nationalist beginnings with the Marshall court, through its state rights’ oriented dual federalism.

After the twin impacts of industrialization/urbanization as well as the crisis of the 1930's era Great Depression, a new vision of inter-governmental affairs arose—that of cooperative federalism. This top-down approach would reach its height in LBJ's creative version, employed to implement the Great Society through the usage of grants-in-aid. These grant programs took the form of categorical and block formulations. However, the conservative reaction against this "fiscal federalism," as critics called it, led to Nixon and Reagan's New Federalisms. These programs were characterized by a movement away from grants-in-aid as a device for national expansion to one of state and local autonomy with general revenue sharing, a renewed emphasis placed on block over categorical grants, and devolution of program implementation, development, and adjustment. These patterns have continued into the Clinton and George W. Bush administrations with supporting Supreme Court decisions which have led to a retreat of at least some elements of big government federalism in recent years.

Focus Questions

1. How did the meanings of the terms federal and federalism change over the course of the founding and early national periods?
2. What powers and responsibilities did the U.S. Constitution give the national government in relation to the states and to the states in relation to the national government?
3. How did the expansion and integration of the American economy shape the balance of governmental power and authority within the federal system?
4. What fiscal and political forces led to the change in American federalism called “devolution?”
5. Have the complexities and dangers of the twenty-first century rendered our government essentially national, or do state and local governments still have important roles to play?