Federalism vs. National Supremacy

Paper Summary:

This paper explores the history of federalism in the United States with regard to the individual rights of its citizens. The writer reviews the purpose of the Constitution of the United States of America which at the time of its writing was difficult for many citizens to accept. The paper then looks at the objective of the Bill of Rights as a response to this fear. In this, a groundwork is established for a debate between the advocates of federalism versus those in favor of strong national supremacy.

From the Paper:

"Federalism, though accepting that a federal government must exist, is an ideology that seeks to reign in that central power by fragmenting it, vesting smaller governing bodies (the state legislatures) with control over the people. It is an approach which favors limited government and grass roots participation. Proponents of national supremacy argue for the opposite: a strong central government whose power supersedes that of the states."

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