The federal and state systems of the United States of America have significantly evolved since
the Civil War and the FDR period. These changes portray the dynamics of federalism in the
United States, with legal, political, and social changes evident over time.
Post-Civil War Era: Federal Dominance and Reconstruction
The era after the Civil War is a significant structural change in federal-state relations. The Civil
War reconstruction was between 1865 and 1877, and the government had great control over the
states, especially the southern states. This was due to the secession and assimilation of the ex-
slaves into the society in America, which was forming at that time. The Reconstruction
Amendments (13th, 14th, and 15th) were substantial in terms of the devolution of power back to
the states, where the 14th Amendment allows the Federal Government to intervene in state
affairs in the name of protection of rights.
The New Deal Era: Increase in the role of the federal government
The Great Depression of the 1930s marked another shift. New Deal policies greatly expanded the
federal government's role in American economic and social life. Measures like the Social
Security Act and the creation of agencies like the Works Progress Administration (WPA)
demonstrated an impressive level of federal interference. The Supreme Court first declined the
New Deal before the 'the switch in time that saved nine' in 1937, which validated federal power,
especially in regulating commerce (Wickard v Filburn, 1942).
Modern Federalism: Cooperation and Conflict
After FDR, federal-state relations have been swinging between cooperative and coercive
federalism. Cooperative federalism, characteristic of the American political system during the
middle of the twentieth century, had the Federal and State governments working together more
closely, often through grants-in-aid. However, some occurrences in the late 20th and early 21st
centuries indicate that the federal government exercises coercive federalism through mandates
and conditions to shape the states' policies. Some outstanding historical examples of federal laws
and decrees enforcing national standards across states include the Civil Rights Movement and
the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Analyzing California with Federal Trends
California has embraced me as its resident and is a perfect example of such federal-state
relations. As one of the most progressive states, California has always been at the forefront of
opposing federal policies, particularly in environmental conservation and immigration. For
instance, the state's stringent environmental laws are much in conflict with federal deregulation
campaigns. There are examples of California's battle with Trump's administration on sanctuary
City policies and the state's refusal to relinquish its Paris Climate Accord provisions.
On the other hand, California also receives significant federal revenues, particularly in the
healthcare sector, through Medicaid and transportation. The relationship is, therefore, symbiotic,
or a mix of cordial and adversarial simultaneously.
Recent Developments and Current Trends
Since the 90s, the primary relationship has remained the same, Although new areas of
federal/state conflict, such as health care, education, and marijuana legalization, have emerged.
The ACA is a good case where federal policy requires states to do so with the Medicaid
expansion, but some states have refused, thus drawing attention to present-day conflicts. Also,
the current situation where there is legalization of marijuana in some states, such as California
but is prohibited at the federal level show how challenging federalism remains.
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The social contract between the federal government of the United States and the states has
changed since the Civil War and FDR's New Deal. It means that the role of the federal
government increased significantly during these periods, although the relations between the
federal and state government are still volatile and shift between cooperation and confrontation.
California is a prime example of this dichotomy – it can actively oppose most federal programs
at the same time as rely on them. These pattern remain important for getting a deeper insight on
the modern American federalism systems.
