Originalism, Federalism, and the American Constitutional Enterprise : A Historical Inquiry / Carl F. Kaestle, Helen Damon-Moore, Lawrence C. Stedman.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Kaestle, Carl F., Author.

Damon-Moore, Helen, Author.

Stedman, Lawrence C., Author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Federal government--United States.

Federal government.

Constitutional history--United States.

Constitutional history.

United States--Politics and government.

United States.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (312 p.)

Place of Publication:

New Haven, CT : Yale University Press, [2007]

Language Note:

English

Summary:

In this lively historical examination of American federalism, a leading scholar in the field refutes the widely accepted notion that the founding fathers carefully crafted a constitutional balance of power between the states and the federal government. Edward A. Purcell Jr. bases his argument on close analysis of the Constitution's original structure and the ways that structure both induced and accommodated changes over the centuries. There was no clear agreement among the founding fathers regarding the "true" nature of American federalism, Purcell contends, nor was there a consensus on "correct" lines dividing state and national authority. Furthermore, even had there been some true "original" understanding, the elastic and dynamic nature of the constitutional structure would have made it impossible for subsequent generations to maintain any "original" or permanent balance. The author traces the evolution of federalism through the centuries, focusing particularly on shifting interpretations founded on political interests. He concludes with insights into current issues of federal power and a discussion of the grounds on which legitimate decisions about federal and state power should rest.

Contents:

Frontmatter

CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

1. American Constitutional Federalism as a Normative Problem

2. Federalism as Doubly Blurred

3. Federalism as Fractionated

4. Federalism as Instrumental

5. Federalism as Contingent

6. Kaleidoscopic Politics

7. Readjusting Components

8. Contested Authorities

9. Evolving Understandings

10. The "Arduous Enterprise"

Notes

Index

Notes:

Includes index.

Description based on online resource; title from PDF title page (publisher's Web site, viewed 24. Apr 2020)

ISBN:

9780300150179

0300150172

OCLC:

1024003963