Journal of Economic Perspectives
ISSN 0895-3309 (Print) | ISSN 1944-7965 (Online)
Rethinking Federalism
Journal of Economic Perspectives
vol. 11,
no. 4, Fall 1997
(pp. 43–64)
(Complimentary)
Abstract
The appropriate federal structure of government is now a policy issue of major debate. This paper identifies three approaches and compares their strengths and weaknesses. Economic federalism recommends the use of competitive communities for the provision of congestible local goods and a strong central government for the provision of pure public goods and spillovers. Cooperative federalism recommends intercommunity agreements; democratic federalism prefers a majority-rule representative legislature. Efficiency will sometimes conflict with other constitutional objectives--political participation and the protection of rights--and compromises will often be required.Citation
Inman, Robert P., and Daniel L. Rubinfeld. 1997. "Rethinking Federalism." Journal of Economic Perspectives, 11 (4): 43–64. DOI: 10.1257/jep.11.4.43JEL Classification
- H11 Structure, Scope, and Performance of Government
- H77 Intergovernmental Relations; Federalism; Secession
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