Federalism

Democracy & Governance
Written By Cassie
 

“Federalism” is often invoked when responsibility is unclear or when governments blame each other for inaction. In practice, many outcomes attributed to federalism are produced by how authority is divided—and limited—across levels of government before any policy choice is made.

Definition

Federalism refers to a system of governance in which authority is constitutionally divided between a national government and subnational governments, each with defined powers and constraints.

Technical meaning vs common usage

Technical meaning:
A legal allocation of decision-making authority across levels of government, enforced through constitutional rules, statutes, and courts.

Common usage:
A general explanation for governmental complexity, delay, or disagreement.

How the term gets stretched or misused

  • Treated as coordination rather than a power division

  • Used to excuse inaction without identifying authority limits

  • Framed as optional cooperation rather than binding constraint

  • Invoked after conflict instead of at the design stage

Where the power sits

Power in federal systems sits in boundary rules: which level can legislate, regulate, fund, or enforce—and when preemption applies. Courts arbitrate conflicts, legislatures set conditions through funding, and agencies operationalize authority. These boundaries shape outcomes by determining who may act, who must defer, and where challenges are resolved.

This does not mean…

  • All levels have equal authority

  • Responsibility is shared without limits

  • Coordination is automatic

  • Policy outcomes reflect local preference alone

Why precision matters

When federalism is treated as vague “shared responsibility,” accountability dissolves. Precision reveals how authority is split, why gaps persist, and how limits on one level of government can stall action even amid broad agreement.

Neutrality note

This definition describes federalism as a constitutional allocation of authority across levels of government, not as an endorsement or critique of centralization, decentralization, or specific policy outcomes.

Related HISW

Sources

Sources below explain how federalism allocates authority and resolves conflicts across levels of government.

Cassie
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