Federalism forms the framework of the government in the United States. The national government is made up of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches. Each state has sub-national governments. What advantages did the framers of the Constitution see in the federal system of governance? Federalism: BackgroundThere was considerable conflict in America at the time the Constitution was written. In almost every instance of conflict, the framers came to a compromise that allowed them to agree on that segment of the Constitution. Federalism was one of these compromises. Show
The framers’ failure to adequately resolve conflicts over slavery is deeply tied to the creation of the federal system that remains in place today. Some of the major reasons for adopting a federal system were: preservation of slavery, safeguarding of individual liberties, and creating a built-in check on the powers of government.
Preservation of SlaveryThe framers of the Constitution could not settle their differences regarding slavery, and so compromises were put in place in such a way that the framers could support the Constitution, but without resolving slavery. Because the economies and legal structures of southern states were developed around the practice of slavery, prohibiting slavery at the national level would have significantly impacted those states. Therefore, in an effort to maintain their way of life, the representatives of slave-owning states argued for the necessity of state sovereignty, thus valuing the system of federalism. Individual LibertiesSince many of the early settlers were drawn to the American colonies in search of greater individual liberties, protecting those liberties was very important to the framers of the Constitution. When we talk about individual liberties, what we mean is that any individual person has the right to lead what might be called a ‘free life’. They have the right to their own agency, their own free will, the right to make their own choices, be in charge of their own behaviors, and buy or sell and own property. To ensure these liberties could not be infringed upon by government, the framers sought to formalize their protection, as outlined in the first 10 amendments to the Constitution, the Bill of Rights. They describe all of the things that government cannot do to individuals. The framers decided to guarantee some individual liberties by creating a federal system in which states would be the ultimate authority over some issues. Learn more about the federal bureaucracy. Power of the GovernmentThe framers believed that when power is concentrated in a small group of people, it can threaten the liberties of everyone else. This is what the framers thought of as tyranny. They believed tyranny could happen when a powerful person or small group of people have all of the control and authority, and they strip the rest of the people of their individual liberties. In the framers’ minds, one way to prevent this from happening was to give two levels of government the ability to ensure and protect liberty. By setting up a sovereign authority at both the state and national levels, they created two places where government could act to ensure one was not becoming tyrannical over the other. Trade-off between Liberty and SecurityA world in which individual liberties are protected to the exclusion of everything else can be a dangerous one. To put it simply, there is a direct trade-off between liberty and security. When we make choices to protect our liberties and individual freedoms, we necessarily give up some of our own safety and security. But a world in which safety and security are so highly prioritized that our every move is monitored and controlled by the authority keeping us safe, would be a highly unpleasant world. The framers of the Constitution wrestled with the best way to balance these two important concerns. So, when they decided to guarantee some individual liberties by creating a federal system in which states would be the ultimate authority over some issues, they were safeguarding against the kind of centralized tyranny that can arise from concerns over security. As a result, they allowed for state by state variance in the level of security that people enjoyed. Learn more about the civil rights. Development of FederalismThe framers believed that federalism would allow for government power to be moderated or shared and checked by creating authoritative structures at different levels of life. In the United States, there are powers fully held by the national government, some held exclusively by state governments, and some that are shared by both, which are sometimes called concurrent powers. Powers of National GovernmentThe powers of the national government are clearly enumerated in Article 1 section 8 of the Constitution. The powers that are exclusive to the national government include coining money, regulating commerce, levying and collecting taxes, declaring war, and regulating the postal system. Also contained in this section of the Constitution is a clause known as the Elastic Clause. It is sometimes referred to as the “necessary and proper” clause because it says that Congress has the power to create laws that it deems “necessary and proper” for the functioning of government. So, though the US Constitution sets clear limits on federal powers as enumerated in Article 1 section 8, it also gives the federal government the power to subjectively assert authority over topics that might not be listed in the enumerated powers. Learn more about the roles of government. Powers of State GovernmentsThere are powers that are in the exclusive domain of the states. These include the administration of elections, regulating commerce within the state, local governments, and the protection of public health and safety. What is not a benefit of federalism?The Drawbacks of Federalism. Federalism also comes with drawbacks. Chief among them are economic disparities across states, race-to-the-bottom dynamics (i.e., states compete to attract business by lowering taxes and regulations), and the difficulty of taking action on issues of national importance.
What did the framers see as benefits of federalism?“Seeking to balance order with liberty, the Founding Fathers chose a federal system of government. Their goal were to avoid tyranny, to allow more participation in politics, and to allow the states to pass their own laws that could test new ideas and programs.
Which of the following is a disadvantage of a federal system?A drawback of federalism is that: it may allow a single political group to dominate a subnational political unit.
Which of the following is a benefit of the federal system?Federalism promotes political participation. Federalism encourages economic equality across the country. Federalism provides for multiple levels of government action. Federalism accommodates a diversity of opinion.
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