AP Gov | 1.7 Relationship Between the States and National Government | NEW!

Summary

This video delves into federalism, explaining the division of power between the federal government, states, and local governments in the U.S. It outlines the concepts of delegated, reserved, and concurrent powers, highlighting the evolution from dual federalism to cooperative federalism. The presenter discusses how grants-in-aid, including categorical and block grants, have blurred the lines between state and federal powers, with the federal government using financial incentives to influence state policies.

Takeaways

• 🏛️ Federalism is the distribution of power between federal, state, and local governments, as outlined by the U.S. Constitution.
• 🌐 In a unitary system, the federal government holds full sovereignty, whereas in a confederacy, states retain sovereignty.
• 📜 Delegated powers are those given to the federal government, such as declaring war and making treaties, which are exclusive to it.
• 🏫 Reserved powers are the inherent powers of the states, including education, health, and welfare, not specifically mentioned in the Constitution.
• 🤝 Concurrent powers allow both federal and state governments to perform certain functions like taxation and law-making, independently.
• 🔄 Dynamic federalism refers to the evolving relationship between state and federal governments, influenced by changes over time.
• 🎂 Dual federalism, or layer-cake federalism, characterized the first 140 years of U.S. federalism, with clear distinctions between state and federal issues.
• 🍰 Cooperative federalism, or marble cake federalism, emerged post-New Deal, blurring the lines between state and federal powers through shared responsibilities.
• 💰 Grants-in-aid are financial assistance from the federal government to states, often with conditions that can increase federal influence over state affairs.
• 🏗️ Categorical grants are funds given by the federal government for specific state projects, while block grants offer broader purposes with more state discretion.

Q & A

What is federalism?

Federalism is the division of power between the federal, state, and local governments. It is a system where different levels of government have powers over certain things because the Constitution established shared sovereignty.

How does federalism differ from a unitary system?

In a unitary system, the federal government has full sovereignty, and the states act as its subordinates. In contrast, federalism involves a balance of power between the federal government and the states.

What are delegated powers?

Delegated powers are the authorities given to the federal government by the states. These include exclusive powers such as declaring war, making treaties, and coining money.

What are reserved powers?

Reserved powers are the authorities that states keep for themselves, which include areas not specifically mentioned in the Constitution, such as education, health, welfare, and licensing.

What are concurrent powers?

Concurrent powers are the authorities that both the federal government and states have, such as taxing, borrowing money, making laws, and building roads.

What is dynamic federalism?

Dynamic federalism refers to the changing relationship between states and the federal government over time. It is described as dynamic because the balance of power shifts and evolves.

What is dual federalism or layer-cake federalism?

Dual federalism, also known as layer-cake federalism, is a concept where the responsibilities of state and federal governments are clearly distinct with no overlap, similar to layers in a cake.

What is cooperative federalism or marble cake federalism?

Cooperative federalism, or marble cake federalism, is a model where the responsibilities of state and federal governments are intertwined, making it difficult to distinguish where one ends and the other begins.

How does the federal government gain power through grants-in-aid?

The federal government gains power through grants-in-aid by offering money to states with conditions attached, which effectively allows the federal government to influence state policies in areas where it doesn't have direct constitutional authority.

What are categorical grants?

Categorical grants are federal funds given to states for specific purposes, with strict conditions on how the money must be used, thus increasing federal influence over state actions.

What are block grants?

Block grants are federal funds given to states for broader purposes, allowing states more discretion on how to use the money within a designated area, such as education.

What is revenue sharing?

Revenue sharing was a practice where the federal government provided funds to states with no strings attached, allowing states to use the money as they saw fit. This practice no longer exists.