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Price of Federalism

Price of Federalism

Paperback

United States Politics

ISBN10: 0815770235
ISBN13: 9780815770237
Publisher: Brookings Institution Press
Published: May 1 1995
Pages: 264
Weight: 0.91
Height: 0.66 Width: 6.10 Depth: 9.20
Language: English

What is the price of federalism? Does it result in governmental interconnections that are too complex? Does it create overlapping responsibilities? Does it perpetuate social inequalities? Does it stifle economic growth?
To answer these questions, Paul Peterson sets forth two theories of federalism: functional and legislative. Functional theory is optimistic. It says that each level of the federal system is well designed to carry out the tasks for which it is mainly responsible. State and local governments assume responsibility for their area's physical and social development; the national government cares for the needy and reduces economic inequities. Legislative theory, in contrast, is pessimistic: it says that national political leaders, responding to electoral pressures, misuse their power. They shift unpopular burdens to lower levels of government while spending national dollars on popular government programs for which they can claim credit.

Also from

Peterson, Paul E.

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United States Politics