大英帝国の植民地政策に抵抗し共和制国家として独立した経緯から、中央集権に疑念を抱いた米国人は、各州に自治権認めつつ、強い権限をもった中央政府として連邦政府を発足させました。この連邦と州の二重主権について理解すべく、連邦主義・制度の起源から展開、その枠組みの形成に係わった主な出来事や憲法判断を概観します。米国の連邦主義を中心に見ていきますが、ブラジル、カナダ、インド、ドイツ、ロシア、南アフリカ、スイス、そしてEUなどの連邦制度にも目を向けます。
　　

• A concise introduction to the principles and operations of federalism
• Explores federalism on a global scale, from the United States to Brazil, South Africa, India, and the EU
• Provides comparative analysis of federal systems around the world
• Examines whether federal structures are viable in an era of increasingly centralized and authoritarian style government

        
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.