Disadvantages Of Federalism And The Unitary System Of Government

3. Federalism is a system of government in which power is shared between the state and national governments. The power of the national government is superior to the state and local government power. In fear of creating a government resembling that of Great Britain, the colonists wanted to stay away from a unitary system of government, which is when power is focused in one government. The Article of Confederation presented the opposite form of government employed by Britain. The articles proposed a confederation where the central government was weak and the state governments were strong. It can be perceived that federalism is a compromise between the two types of government. Power, thus, is shared by the national and state governments. The Constitution

The smaller branches of state and local governments are able to handle these situations, comprehending the problems and finding ways to fix it. These parts of local and state governments are within these areas, allowing them to have hands-on experience with the issues that need to be changed. These forms of government are better equipped to handle the real issues that are required to be dealt with, which is an advantage to federalism. It creates small local governments throughout the country. In doing so, people become involved in these governments, influencing the decisions and actions of the government they live within. In a democracy, people have the right to be represented and heard, which ultimately impacts their standard of living. By feeling more included on the decisions of the government, people become proud of their country. They feel like they are making a difference in their society, and thus may become more supportive of the local, state, and national government. However, federalism also has its disadvantages. Because states are given their own powers, it allows for

If something unexpected occurs that negatively impacts the country, each branch can renounce their responsibility for the event. Despite its drawbacks, federalism serves the United States well. This system was implemented over two hundred years ago. There has not been a significant issue with it since then. Each branch of government is ensured equal power through checks and balances. In doing so, it prevents the federal government from becoming tyrannical over the state and local governments as well as one branch dominating the others. The demographics in America, such as age, race, and culture, are so diverse and tend to vary in different parts of the country. With this diversity, it would be difficult for the national government to understand the issues and concerns regarding various regions of the country. This is why federalism works. The state and local governments tend to compensate for this lack of understanding. They embrace the people who wish to voice their concerns, enabling them to participate in democracy. The shared powers among the types of governments allows for problems to be solved within