Does Federalism Increase Democracy

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The topic of choice I chose to write about was, does the American form of Federalism increase democracy, or does it have a negative impact? Before I go into detail, I would like to explain what federalism and democracy is. Federalism mean, “the federal principle or system of government”, while democracy mean, “a system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state, typically through elected representatives.” When comparing the two they actually are saying the same thing ones just a little different. With me having military background I only speak for myself. Federalism is necessary in both large and relatively small countries. In both cases it will encourage participation and counteract alienation and a feeling of distance between the citizens and the state. Decentralization and participation at a local level diminish the number of participants and increase the importance and the influence of each individual. Democracy is all about people controlling the people lives. Now it seems reasonable to state that the smaller the group of people, the more control over their…show more content…
Different levels of government provide more opportunities for participation in politics and increase access to government. Since different citizens and interest groups will have access to the different levels, federalism also increases the opportunities for government to be responsive to demands for policies. However, it is possible for the diversity of opinion within the country to be reflected in different public policies among the states. Different economic interests are concentrated in different states, and the federal system ensures that each state can establish a power base to promote its interests. By handling most disputes over policy at the state and local level, federalism also reduces decision making and conflict at the national
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