Evolution of U.S Federalism
Introduction
The federal government refers to a government which has the government powers divided between the central government and the individual states governments. According to Shafritz and Borick (2011, p. 129), In federalism, the higher units of government share revenue as well as other resources with, the lower units of government hence establishing a relationship between the two levels of administration. The smaller units are always required to satisfy conditions as a prerequisite to the sharing of resources. One country in the world considered to have a perfect form of federalism that divides its power between the national government and other lower units of government is the United States. In this essay, we explore the evolution stages of the United States federalism with a focus on how the federal government uses different types of grants to achieve fiscal federalism (Shafritz & Borick, 2011).
Evolution of Federalism
As indicated in the text by Shafritz and Borick (2011), the primary factor that compels states to form a federal system of government is a defense mechanism against external threats. In the U.S, the need for protecting individual states from external threats compelled the states to come into a confederation in 1781. However, due to the limitations of this confederation, it only lasted up to 1789 thus resulting in a new approach in the U.S government system called federalism (Shafritz & Borick, 2011).
Layered and marble cake Federalism
Federalism can be looked at in two perspectives, the layered cake perspective (popular during the 19th century), and the marble cake perspective. The layered cake perspective of federalism sees the relationship between different levels of government as being completely disjointed from each other, and this is best exemplified in the dual form of federalism. On the other hand, the marble cake federalism sees the relationship between different levels of government as mutual in that there is the intermingling of activities between the various levels of government as seen in creative federalism (Shafritz & Borick, 2011).
Stages of federalism in the U.S
Dual federalism deems the federal and states as being completely disjointed regarding activities undertaken by each level of government. Dual federalism has been there in the nineteenth century before the inception of Cooperative federalism. Cooperative federalism viewed the national, state and local governments to be in a cooperation mission in solving common problems. This collaboration was best experienced during the depression years (the new deal) and during the world war II where local states and the federal states worked together to administer civil defense. States to states cooperation have also been experienced, where two or more different states have since come together to pursue a common course such as river basin management (Shafritz & Borick, 2011).
Cooperative federalism was the followed by the creative federalism. This federalism is characterized by federal grants directed to cities bypassing state governments. A form of creative …
