Federalism

Father of Modern Federalism

• Johannes Althusius is recognized as the father of modern federalism, influencing the concept of governance through mutual agreements among political entities.

Althusius' Contribution

• The foundational principles of federalism were articulated in Althusius' work "Politica" published in 1603, which outlines a system based on cooperation among multiple levels of government.

Origins of Modern Federalism

• Federalism was first adopted in the modern era in the United States with the ratification of the Constitution in 1787, establishing a framework for shared power between national and state governments.

Federalism vs. Confederalism

• Federalism involves a strong central authority alongside regional governments, which share power, whereas confederalism is characterized by a loose association of independent states that retain most of the power with little authority vested in the central government.

Devolution and Federalism

• Devolution refers to the transfer of powers from a central government to subordinate or local governments within a unitary state, allowing for variations in governance similar to federalism without the formal structure of federal systems.

Test your knowledge of federalism and its history with this quiz! From the father of modern federalism to the division of powers between central and regional governments, this quiz covers key concepts and historical figures.