Federation is one of the most widespread forms of government among the most developed countries worldwide. For example, life is built according to the principles of the federation in the United States, Canada, and a number of European states: from Germany to Switzerland. However, despite this unifying element, reality in these states is very different. Consequently, the question arises: what are the peculiarities of a federation, and how exactly are they realized? This paper aims to answer this question and explore the concept of federalism.
Federalism is the basic principle under which a federation is formed. This combined mode of government implies the union of separate state apparatuses under a single leadership (Longley). In this case, a special hierarchy is created, accommodating two levels of administration over the same territory: national and regional (Longley). Each of the constituent political systems maintains a certain degree of independence. Despite the need to obey a central national government, the hierarchical relationship is based on negotiation. This arrangement is featured by the principle of territorial democracy, which promotes a common democracy through the neutrality and equality of different groups (Longley). Although the methods of concrete implementation of federalism may differ from state to state, the focus on democracy and the principles of interaction between political structures remain mostly the same.
The United States of America is a prime example of a successful implementation of federalism. The U.S. Constitution establishes it as the distribution of power between the federal government of the whole country and the individual state governments (Longley). In general, the federal administration has a lot of influence over the processes taking place in the country’s constituent parts. For example, individual states cannot ignore certain requirements, especially those laid down in the national Constitution. Although each state has its own Constitution, it cannot contradict the main document (Longley). On the other hand, the federal government cannot interfere and regulate processes that occur only within one of the states. For example, in this context, it cannot regulate intrastate commerce, although the Commerce Clause allows managing interstate business (Longley). Thus, the states act as an extension of the federal government in a separate territory. The central government allows its subordinates to retain their independence and manage their own internal processes, subject to general rules and laws.
Work Cited
Longley, R. “What Is Federalism? Definition and How It Works in the US”. ThoughtCo, Web.