18.1 American Federalism

Federalism is a system of government where power is divided between a central national government and regional units such as states. This division allows both the national and state governments to have independent authority over their citizens. In the United States, federalism means that not all decisions are made by one central government; instead, multiple levels of government share responsibilities.

The organization of the federal system in the U.S. is complex, with one federal government, fifty state governments, and nearly 90,000 local governments, including counties, municipalities, townships, special districts, and school districts. This structure enables different levels of government to perform distinct functions and serve their communities effectively.

Federalism in the U.S. has evolved over time. Initially, the federal system was characterized by distinct separations of power between federal and state governments. However, over time, the roles and responsibilities of these governments have become more intertwined, leading to a more cooperative approach. Modern federalism often emphasizes collaboration across different levels of government and specific policy areas.

One important aspect of this evolution is devolution, the process of shifting policy responsibilities from the national government to state and local governments. For example, the federal government has devolved responsibility for welfare programs to the states through block grants. This funding mechanism, which you will learn more about later in this chapter, provides federal funds and considerable discretion to states in exchange for pursuing certain policy goals. Education policy has also been decentralized, giving states more control over standards and accountability measures.

Not all policies that the federal government shifts to state and local governments come with financial resources. Unfunded mandates are requirements imposed by the federal government on state and local governments (or state requirements imposed on local governments), to perform certain actions or comply with specific regulations without providing corresponding funding to cover the associated costs. An example of an unfunded mandate is the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which requires public facilities to be accessible to people with disabilities without providing federal funding to cover the necessary modifications. Moreover, Ohio places unfunded mandates on local governments, from criminal justice to environmental regulations.

Understanding federalism is valuable because it affects how laws are made and implemented in the U.S. It shapes the interactions between different levels of government and impacts how public services are delivered.