American federalism [electronic resource] : a concise introduction / Larry N. Gerston.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Gerston, Larry N.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Federal government--United States.

Federal government.

United States--Politics and government.

United States.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (208 pages)

Place of Publication:

Armonk, N.Y. : M.E. Sharpe, c2007.

Summary:

Understanding federalism - the form of political organization that unites separate polities within an overarching political system so that all maintain their political integrity - is central to the study of democratic government in the United States. Yet, many political scientists treat federalism as a set of abstract principles or a maze of budgetary transfers with little connection to real political life. This concise and engaging book boils the discussion down to its essence: federalism is about power, specifically the tug for power among and within the various levels of government. Author Larry N. Gerston examines the historical and philosophical underpinnings of federalism; the various "change events" that have been involved in defining America's unique set of federal principles over time; and the vertical, horizontal, and international dimensions of federalism in the United States today. The result is a book examining the ways in which institutional political power is both diffused and concentrated in the United States.

Contents:

The great political experiment

Reordering the rules on power and governance

The appeal of tradition

Institutional change agents

Informal pressures on the power flow

Vertical federalism

Horizontal federalism : arrangements among the states

The international dimension of federalism

Explaining American federalism in the twenty-first century.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (p. 171-188) and index.

Other Format:

Print version: Gerston, Larry N. American Federalism: a Concise Introduction

ISBN:

9780765622105

OCLC:

614493045