Establish the link between the growth of the national government and changes in
federalism as practiced in the United States
Federalism is a fundamental feature within the US political structure, which has created
great controversy throughout the state’s political system. Federalism is an arrangement
through the constitutional act that distributes power between states and the central
government in the United States. Since the founding of the state, especially with the end of
the American Civil War, power shifted towards the national government. This progression
included dual federalism, state-centered federalism and new federalism. Whereas most
political systems come out as unitary, the American system reflects a desire for limited
government of the founders.
By creating a different body of state government power, the constitution limits the national
government. In this way, two sovereign powers emerge, granting few powers to the
national government while reserving more for other states. The expressed powers of
national government include: power to collect taxes, to declare war, to regulate commerce
and to coin money. However, the reserved amendment indicates that the powers not
delegated to the national government are reserved to the states, limiting it to coercion
through developing and enforcing criminal codes, administering health, and safety rules.
The State shares some powers with the national government, such as power to levy and
collect taxes from the citizens.
Meanwhile, the role and responsibility of the national government has slowly expanded