key phases in the development of federalism Flashcards
dual fedrlaism 1787-1920s
Under Dual Federalism, there was a clear divide between the areas the states had jurisdiction over and the areas the federal government had jurisdiction over.
○ Each area of policy was largely controlled by either the states or federal government, with little complication.
State governments exercised the most political power and there was little regulation of the economy by the federal government.
co operative federalism 1930s-1960s
● In response to the Great Depression, the federal government significantly increased its activities and expanded under FDR’s New Deal in the 1930s, which introduced a range of national programmes and regulations in order to bring America out of the economic slump it found itself in.
○ The federal government became a lot more involved in policy areas traditionally controlled by the states, as they worked together in a range of areas.
○ Lyndon B Johnson’s Great Society programme in the mid-1960s was also important, as it increased federal spending hugely for a programme of economic reforms and welfare schemes to tackle poverty, poor medical care and poor housing.
■ In particular, it introduced Medicare; a federal healthcare programme for the over-65s.
● States were given a lot of federal money to tackle unemployment and a range of other issues. States were therefore responsible for administering many of the national regulations and programmes.
○ This money often came in the form of categorical grants; in which the federal government specified how the state governments could use it.
● Co-operative federalism was primarily under Democrat Presidents.
new federalism 1970-1990s
Starting with President Nixon, the final three decades of the 20th century saw a shift to New Federalism under mostly Republican Presidents.
○ This New Federalism sought to give more power over how money should be spent back to states.
○ This was done through block grants; in which the federal government would give states money which they could use how they wished within the remit of a broad policy area.
● Much of this attempt to devolve more power back to the states was undermined by the fact that the size of most grants were reduced and there was an increased use of unfunded mandates; using which the federal government would mandate the states to do certain things without providing any funding for it.
zig zag federalism mid 1990s onwards
Since the mid-1990s, there has been a period of Zigzag Federalism, where more power and autonomy has been given to states in some areas, but in other areas the federal government has exercised stricter control.
○ The development of federalism has also been largely affected by events and partisanship in this period, as seen below in relation to the 4 most recent Presidents.
