Federalism

Federalism
Author: Mark J. Rozell
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Total Pages: 160
Release: 2019-11-15
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 0190900059

Early Americans were suspicious of centralized authority and executive power. Casting away the yoke of England and its king, the founding fathers shared in this distrust as they set out to pen the Constitution. Weighing a need for consolidated leadership with a demand for states' rights, they established a large federal republic with limited dominion over the states, leaving most of the governing responsibility with the former colonies. With this dual system of federalism, the national government held the powers of war, taxation, and commerce, and the ability to pass the laws necessary to uphold these functions. Although the federal role has grown substantially since then, states and local governments continue to perform most of the duties in civil and criminal law, business and professional licensing, the management of infrastructure and public services: roads, schools, libraries, sanitation, land use and development, and etc. Despite the critical roles of state and local governments, there is little awareness-or understanding-of the nature and operations of the federal system. This Very Short Introduction provides a concise overview of federalism, from its origins and evolution to the key events and constitutional decisions that have defined its framework. Although the primary focus is on the United States, other federal systems, including Brazil, Canada, India, Germany, Russia, South Africa, Switzerland, and the EU, are addressed.

The U.S. Constitution

The U.S. Constitution
Author: David J. Bodenhamer
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Total Pages: 168
Release: 2018
Genre: History
ISBN: 0195378326

The U.S. Constitution: A Very Short Introduction explores the major themes of American constitutional history --federalism, the balance of powers, property, representation, equality, and security -- and illustrates how the Constitution has served as a dynamic framework for legitimating power and advancing liberty.

Free Speech: A Very Short Introduction

Free Speech: A Very Short Introduction
Author: Nigel Warburton
Publisher: OUP Oxford
Total Pages: 128
Release: 2009-02-26
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 0191622788

'I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it' This slogan, attributed to Voltaire, is frequently quoted by defenders of free speech. Yet it is rare to find anyone prepared to defend all expression in every circumstance, especially if the views expressed incite violence. So where do the limits lie? What is the real value of free speech? Here, Nigel Warburton offers a concise guide to important questions facing modern society about the value and limits of free speech: Where should a civilized society draw the line? Should we be free to offend other people's religion? Are there good grounds for censoring pornography? Has the Internet changed everything? This Very Short Introduction is a thought-provoking, accessible, and up-to-date examination of the liberal assumption that free speech is worth preserving at any cost. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Indian Federalism

Indian Federalism
Author: Louise Tillin
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Total Pages: 168
Release: 2019-05-04
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 0199097879

To understand how politics, the economy, and public policy function in the world’s largest democracy, an appreciation of federalism is essential. Bringing to surface the complex dimensions that affect relations between India’s central government and states, this short introduction is the one-stop account to federalism in India. Paying attention to the constitutional, political, and economic factors that shape Centre–state relations, this book stimulates understanding of some of the big dilemmas facing India today. The ability of India’s central government to set the economic agenda or secure implementation of national policies throughout the country depends on the institutions and practices of federalism. Similarly, the ability of India’s states to contribute to national policy making or to define their own policy agendas that speak to local priorities all hinge on questions of federalism. Organised in four chapters, this book introduces readers to one of the key living features of Indian democracy.

American Federalism: A Concise Introduction

American Federalism: A Concise Introduction
Author: Larry N. Gerston
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 208
Release: 2015-03-26
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 131747726X

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.

Canada: a Very Short Introduction

Canada: a Very Short Introduction
Author: Donald Wright
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Total Pages: 161
Release: 2020-07-23
Genre: History
ISBN: 0198755244

Canada is not one nation, but three: English Canada, Quebec, and First Nations. Yet as a country Canada is very successful, in part because it maintains national diversity through bilingualism, multiculturalism, and federalism. Alongside this contemporary openness Canada also has its own history to contend with; with a legacy of broken treaties and residential schools for its Indigenous peoples, making reconciliation between Canada and First Nations an ongoing journey, not a destination. Drawing on history, politics, and literature, this Very Short Introduction starts at the end of the last ice age, when the melting of the ice sheets opened the northern half of North America to Indigenous peoples, and covers up to today's anthropogenic climate change, and Canada's climate politics. Donald Wright emphasizes Canada's complexity and diversity as well as its different identities and its commitment to rights, and explores its historical relationship to Great Britain, and its ongoing relationship with the United States. Finally, he examines Canada's northern realities and its northern identities. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Federal Dynamics

Federal Dynamics
Author: Arthur Benz
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Total Pages: 409
Release: 2013
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 0199652996

Federal Dynamics aids understanding of how federal systems change over time. It assembles contributions from leading scholars in the field of comparative federalism to discuss the value of different analytical tools and theoretical approaches for exploring the dynamics of federal systems.

Federalism: A Very Short Introduction

Federalism: A Very Short Introduction
Author: Mark J. Rozell
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Total Pages: 168
Release: 2019-11-01
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 0190900067

Early Americans were suspicious of centralized authority and executive power. Casting away the yoke of England and its king, the founding fathers shared in this distrust as they set out to pen the Constitution. Weighing a need for consolidated leadership with a demand for states' rights, they established a large federal republic with limited dominion over the states, leaving most of the governing responsibility with the former colonies. With this dual system of federalism, the national government held the powers of war, taxation, and commerce, and the ability to pass the laws necessary to uphold these functions. Although the federal role has grown substantially since then, states and local governments continue to perform most of the duties in civil and criminal law, business and professional licensing, the management of infrastructure and public services: roads, schools, libraries, sanitation, land use and development, and etc. Despite the critical roles of state and local governments, there is little awareness-or understanding-of the nature and operations of the federal system. This Very Short Introduction provides a concise overview of federalism, from its origins and evolution to the key events and constitutional decisions that have defined its framework. Although the primary focus is on the United States, other federal systems, including Brazil, Canada, India, Germany, Russia, South Africa, Switzerland, and the EU, are addressed.

Ideas with Consequences

Ideas with Consequences
Author: Amanda Hollis-Brusky
Publisher: Studies in Postwar American Po
Total Pages: 265
Release: 2015
Genre: Law
ISBN: 0199385521

Many of these questions--including the powers of the federal government, the individual right to bear arms, and the parameters of corporate political speech--had long been considered settled. But the Federalist Society was able to upend the existing conventional wisdom, promoting constitutional theories that had previously been dismissed as ludicrously radical. Hollis-Brusky argues that the Federalist Society offers several of the crucial ingredients needed to accomplish this constitutional revolution. It serves as a credentialing institution for conservative lawyers and judges, legitimizes novel interpretations of the constitution through a conservative framework, and provides a judicial audience of like-minded peers, which prevents the well-documented phenomenon of conservative judges turning moderate after years on the bench. Through these functions, it is able to exercise enormous influence on important cases at every level.

Federalism

Federalism
Author: George Anderson
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Total Pages: 100
Release: 2008
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN:

Federalism: An Introduction provides students of political science as well as practitioners and scholars with a concise, jargon-free overview of the various forms of federal government found around the world as well as the basic principles, practices, benefits, and challenges characteristic of the federal form of government. The book defines federalism and examines the constitutional, legal, financial, and philosophical underpinnings of federal systems, incorporating examples not only from well-known and long-established federations such as US and Canada but countries that have only recently adopted a federal form of government.