Exploring Federalism and State-National Relationships

The video tutorial explores the concept of federalism, focusing on the division of powers between federal, state, and local governments. It explains delegated, reserved, and concurrent powers, and how these have evolved from dual to cooperative federalism. The tutorial also covers the role of federal grants and mandates in shaping state policies, highlighting the trade-offs involved. Finally, it discusses block grants and the now-defunct revenue sharing, emphasizing the balance of power and funding between federal and state governments.

What is federalism?

• A government system where all powers are held by a single entity

• A system where power is divided between national and state governments

• A political theory advocating for the abolition of governments

• A historical form of government used only in ancient civilizations

Which type of power is exclusively held by the federal government?

• Local powers

• Delegated powers

• Concurrent powers

• Reserved powers

What does the term 'concurrent powers' refer to?

• Powers that are outdated and no longer in use

• Powers exclusive to state governments

• Powers shared by both state and federal governments

• Powers held by the Supreme Court only

What metaphor is used to describe dual federalism?

• Sponge cake

• Pound cake

• Layer cake

• Marble cake

Which type of federalism is described as having clear boundaries like a layer cake?

• Progressive federalism

• Marble cake federalism

• Cooperative federalism

• Dual federalism

What led to the shift from dual to cooperative federalism?

• The New Deal policies

• The decision in the Marbury vs. Madison case

• The end of the Cold War

• The establishment of the Constitution

What is a categorical grant?

• State funds given to the federal government

• A grant with no specific purpose

• Federal funds with specific spending directives

• A recommendation rather than a financial aid

How does the federal government use grants to influence state policies?

• By providing unrestricted funds

• By decreasing the amount of money given to states

• By completely removing grants

• By attaching conditions to the grants

What was the purpose of revenue sharing?

• To provide states with funds for education only

• To restrict state spending to specific categories

• To increase state discretion in spending federal funds

• To decrease federal influence over states

What is the main difference between block grants and categorical grants?

• Block grants have stricter spending requirements

• Block grants offer more flexibility in spending

• Block grants are never used in modern government

• Categorical grants are only for local governments