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Federalism
Chapter Summary

I. Defining Federalism (66-70)
A. What Is Federalism?
Federalism is a way of organizing a nation so that two or more levels of government have formal authority over the same area and people. Power is shared between units of government. Most governments in the world, like Great Britain, are unitary governments, in which all power resides in the central government. The American states are unitary governments with respect to their local governments. A confederation is a governmental structure in which the national government is weak and most power is in the hands of its components, or states. The term intergovernmental relations refers to the interactions among national, state, and local governments.
B. Why Is Federalism So Important?
Federalism decentralizes our politics in many ways. For example, senators are elected to represent their state, not the nation. With more levels of government, more opportunities exist for political participation. Judicial power also is enhanced by federalism. Federalism also decentralizes our policies. The history of federalism demonstrates the tension between the states and the national government over who should control policy. The overlapping powers of the two levels of government mean that most debates over policy become debates over federalism. States are responsible for most public policies dealing with social, family, and moral issues. These become national issues when brought to the national government by an aggrieved group. The American states are also policy innovators, being responsible for many reforms, new ideas, and new policies.
II. The Constitutional Basis of Federalism (70-76)
A. The Division of Power
The powers of state and national governments are carefully defined in the Constitution. States are guaranteed equal representation in the Senate, are responsible for elections, and

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