The Advantages and Disadvantages of Federalism essays

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Federalism essays Federalism is one way that governments choose to solve the problem of governing large populations and/or diverse cultures. Federalism works by dividing its authority and responsibility, as opposed to a unitary government, in which the central government controls everything. Examples of federalism operating successfully include the United States, One advantage of federalism is that by allowing the central government to delegate many government functions to states or provinces, it has more time to focus on world issues and policies. With such a system in place, the state governments can focus on local responsibilities, which works better because state and local representatives are closer to the issues and problems that affect their population. In addition, it is impractical for a national government to assume it can have one central location; the government can not cover large areas of geography nor can it keep up with population growth. As a result, federalism brings the government closer to the people because the people have easier access to local officials and they also have a greater influence on how local governments govern. Disadvantages of a federal system include the division among subcultures. When individuals of the same mind become concentrated in one area, problems erupt that demand intervention from the federal government. For example, the South generated a strong subculture, which lead to the Civil War. In addition, a single party can sometimes dominate local governments, they seem to block progress at times, and they are more open to corruption. (73) While certainly local governments have the potential to become corrupt and dominating, the advantages and results gained from using federalism as a means of governing prove to be the most successful. ...