Library Catalog
Amazon cover image
Image from Amazon.com

The Divided States of America : Why Federalism Doesn't Work / Donald F. Kettl.

By: Material type: TextTextPublisher: Princeton, NJ : Princeton University Press, [2020]Copyright date: ©2020Description: 1 online resource (248 p.) : 9 b/w illus. 8 tablesContent type:
Media type:
Carrier type:
ISBN:
  • 9780691182278
  • 9780691201054
Subject(s): DDC classification:
  • 320.473/04 23
LOC classification:
  • JK311
  • JK311 .K47 2020
Other classification:
  • online - DeGruyter
Online resources: Available additional physical forms:
  • Issued also in print.
Contents:
Frontmatter -- Contents -- Preface -- 1. Madison's Balancing Act -- 2. E Pluribus Unum -- 3. The Search for Unity -- 4. Washington Rising -- 5. America's Struggle with Inequality -- 6. Health, Unequal -- 7. E Pluribus Plura -- 8. Engines of Inequality -- 9. Can Some States Lead? -- 10. Madison's Invention Comes Undone -- 11. Hamilton's Solution to Madison's Dilemma -- Notes -- Index
Summary: Why federalism is pulling America apart-and how the system can be reformedFederalism was James Madison's great invention. An innovative system of power sharing that balanced national and state interests, federalism was the pragmatic compromise that brought the colonies together to form the United States. Yet, even beyond the question of slavery, inequality was built into the system because federalism by its very nature meant that many aspects of an American's life depended on where they lived. Over time, these inequalities have created vast divisions between the states and made federalism fundamentally unstable. In The Divided States of America, Donald Kettl chronicles the history of a political system that once united the nation-and now threatens to break it apart.Exploring the full sweep of federalism from the founding to today, Kettl focuses on pivotal moments when power has shifted between state and national governments-from the violent rebalancing of the Civil War, when the nation almost split in two, to the era of civil rights a century later, when there was apparent agreement that inequality was a threat to liberty and the federal government should set policies for states to enact. Despite this consensus, inequality between states has only deepened since that moment. From health care to infrastructure to education to the environment, the quality of public services is ever more uneven. Having revealed the shortcomings of Madison's marvel, Kettl points to possible solutions in the writings of another founder: Alexander Hamilton.Making an urgent case for reforming federalism, The Divided States of America shows why we must-and how we can-address the crisis of American inequality.
Holdings
Item type Current library Call number URL Status Notes Barcode
eBook eBook Biblioteca "Angelicum" Pont. Univ. S.Tommaso d'Aquino Nuvola online online - DeGruyter (Browse shelf(Opens below)) Online access Not for loan (Accesso limitato) Accesso per gli utenti autorizzati / Access for authorized users (dgr)9780691201054

Frontmatter -- Contents -- Preface -- 1. Madison's Balancing Act -- 2. E Pluribus Unum -- 3. The Search for Unity -- 4. Washington Rising -- 5. America's Struggle with Inequality -- 6. Health, Unequal -- 7. E Pluribus Plura -- 8. Engines of Inequality -- 9. Can Some States Lead? -- 10. Madison's Invention Comes Undone -- 11. Hamilton's Solution to Madison's Dilemma -- Notes -- Index

restricted access online access with authorization star

http://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_16ec

Why federalism is pulling America apart-and how the system can be reformedFederalism was James Madison's great invention. An innovative system of power sharing that balanced national and state interests, federalism was the pragmatic compromise that brought the colonies together to form the United States. Yet, even beyond the question of slavery, inequality was built into the system because federalism by its very nature meant that many aspects of an American's life depended on where they lived. Over time, these inequalities have created vast divisions between the states and made federalism fundamentally unstable. In The Divided States of America, Donald Kettl chronicles the history of a political system that once united the nation-and now threatens to break it apart.Exploring the full sweep of federalism from the founding to today, Kettl focuses on pivotal moments when power has shifted between state and national governments-from the violent rebalancing of the Civil War, when the nation almost split in two, to the era of civil rights a century later, when there was apparent agreement that inequality was a threat to liberty and the federal government should set policies for states to enact. Despite this consensus, inequality between states has only deepened since that moment. From health care to infrastructure to education to the environment, the quality of public services is ever more uneven. Having revealed the shortcomings of Madison's marvel, Kettl points to possible solutions in the writings of another founder: Alexander Hamilton.Making an urgent case for reforming federalism, The Divided States of America shows why we must-and how we can-address the crisis of American inequality.

Issued also in print.

Mode of access: Internet via World Wide Web.

In English.

Description based on online resource; title from PDF title page (publisher's Web site, viewed 26. Mai 2021)