Objectives for Week Two

1
Objectives for Week Two

• Establish basic definitions
• Institutional foundations of the American federal
  system
• Key features of federal governance and
  intergovernmental relationships
• Faction and political conflict

2
Unitary System of Government

• Central government has supreme power over all
  territorial divisions (i.e., subnational govt)
  within the nation
• Autonomy of subnational govt is limited by how
  governmental powers are delegated
• Examples Japan, France, Great Britain

3
Federal System of Government

• Power is divided between the national government
  and subnational governments
• Written Constitution defines structure,
  power-sharing arrangements, and procedures for
  resolving conflict
• Examples Japan, Germany, Australia, Brazil,
  Canada, Mexico, former USSR

4
Federalism

• Federalism is the relationship between a
  central government and lower units of that
  government, where the central government and
  the lower units exercise independent authority
  within their own jurisdictions.

5
Federalism

• Designating a form of government in which a
  union of states recognizes the sovereignty of a
  central authority while retaining certain
  residual powers of government.

6
Daniel Elazars Definition of Federalism

• Federalism can be defined as the mode of
  political organization that unites smaller
  polities in an overarching political system by
  distributing power among general and constituent
  governments in a manner designed to protect the
  existence and authority of both.

7
Key Characteristics of a Federal System

• Duality in governance and in citizenship
• Defines the legal powers, formal duties/actions,
  processes to be followed
• Autonomy of subnational government
• Note Federalism is a means, not an end

8
Intergovernmental Relations

• An important body of activities or
  interactions occurring between governmental units
  of all types and levels within the federal
  system.

9
Intergovernmental Relations

• The complex, interdependent interactions between
  different levels of government that determine
  their relative powers, responsibilities, roles,
  and areas of discretion and that are necessary to
  implement or exercise this legitimate
  governmental authority.

10
Intergovernmental Institutional Features of
Federal Systems

• Assign Responsibility
• Determine Accountability and Performance
• Define Participation
• Degree to Which National Interest or Will Can be
  Imposed
• Regulate the Flow of Information, Capital, and
  Population

11
Discussion Questions

• What are the advantages of a federal system or
  decentralized institutional approach?
• What are the disadvantages of a federal system?
• Which advantage/disadvantage is most important in
  your mind?
• How might the advantages and disadvantages of a
  decentralized system change over time?

12
Models of Federalism
13
Salamon Tools of Government

• Why is Salamon relevant to our discussion?
• How do the following characteristics of a given
  tool relate to concepts/theories of federalism
  and intergovernmental relationships?
• Coerciveness
• Directness
• Automaticity
• Visibility

14
Players in Federal System

• Congress
• Executive Branch
• Judicial System
• Governors/State Legislatures

• Entrepreneurs
• Elites
• Political Parties
• Mediating Organizations

15
Types of IG Interactions

• Legislation
• Executive Orders
• Court Decisions
• Regulatory Activity
• Lobbying
• Platforms Positions
• Elections Campaigns

• Hearings
• IG Aid and Tax Code
• Administrative Discretion
• Coordinated Implementation
• Debate Over Issues and Symbols

16
Factors Shaping the Balance of IGRS?

• Economic Conditions
• Demographic Trends
• Institutional Capacity
• Past IGRs
• Incentives for Activity
• Public Opinion
• Crises or Focusing Events

17
Majority and Minority Conflict in a Federal System

• Mediating the dangers of faction
• Checks and balances
• Heterogeneity
• Multiple access points
• Redefining the scope of conflict
• Change the substance of debate
• Change the nature of the participants

18
Meaning for Public Administration

• Structure of governmental system matters
• Incentives, monitoring, discretion, types of
  policies and tools that arise, coordination
  problems
• IGR Policy is a balancing act
• Success means being able to navigate complexities
  of system
• Impact of heterogeneity in a decentralized system

19
Readings for Next WeekChapters Three through
Six, The Rebirth of Federalism, Walker (pp.
65-171)