How does power flow through our federal system of government?
Our federal system divides powers among the national, state, and local governments. The U.S. Constitution gives considerable freedom to states to set up the kind of state and local governments that work best for their citizens.
Benefits of federalism Federalism promotes national unity while allowing for diversity among the states. Federalism also allows states to operate as laboratories for public policy experiments.
Evolution of federalism The way federalism works has evolved over time. During the era of dual federalism, national and state governments operated independently of one another. More recently, the federal government has become increasingly involved in state and local affairs. Federalism will continue to evolve in the future.
State governments Each state government has a legislative, executive, and judicial branch. One of the most important jobs of state legislatures is the apportionment of legislative districts.
Local governments County and city governments provide such basic services as water and fire protection. One of the challenges facing local governments is meeting citizen demands for services with limited funds.