1. The relation of the citizens to the government remains considerably different between federal, confederation, and unitary systems; the main precept is, however, the distribution of power. In a federal system, for example, citizens interact with national and regional governments because powers are constitutionally divided, hence giving the people a chance to influence policies at different levels, like in the United States. By contrast, a confederation grants the central government very little authority and most power lies in the regional governments; as such citizens have little contact with or dependence on the central government, which is too weak to influence national decisions forcefully, an example being the early United States government under the Articles of Confederation or the current European Union. Accordingly, in a unitary system, the majority of the
    governing power would lie with a strong central government; citizens normally interact with this central government only, and regional governments typically play a minor role when compared, for example, to the United Kingdom or France. The degree of engagement of the citizens and their consequently exertable influence are related, hence, to a great degree to the structural form of organization of power in each system.
  2. Division of power refers to the allocation of authority and responsibility between various levels of government-comprised mainly of central and regional or sub-national -with the purpose of preventing the concentration of power in one hand, as well as ensuring checks and balances. In a federal system, powers are divided in a way that provides for a central government, along with regional or state or provincial governments, each with its own specific responsibilities as assigned by a constitution. This would allow local governance and decision-making mechanisms that may be able to address regional needs yet still be part of a united nation. In the unitary system, power is more centralized within the national government, which holds most of the powers but sometimes devolves some of its powers to local governments. In a confederation, the greater share of powers is possessed by the regional governments, with a very limited system of powers for the central authority. The separation of powers is an important aspect of democratic governance, accountability, and the efficient involvement of the citizens in the management of political affairs to ensure that no single force can monopolize politics.
  3. Throughout the crisis, the federal government has played a coercive role in New York state and sub state governments through the provision of crucial funds and setting up health guidelines to guide their responses. For example, federal relief money accorded to states, such as Coronavirus Relief Fund money, was released to New York in order to enable tackling various economic problems; at first, there was some difficulty in the local governments utilizing the funds efficiently. Similarly, federal guidelines forced Governor Andrew Cuomo to use school closures and an order for social distancing as a means to slow down the virus;, first. Of course, this dynamic often put state and local leaders in opposing directions, especially in New York City, as Mayor Bill de Blasio and Governor Cuomo had very sharp differences over means of lockdowns and public health orders. While the federal guidelines led the way, state officials implemented measures, considering local conditions-a challenging dimension of federalism in crisis management.

One thought on “Cristian Mejia- Discussion 7.1”

  1. Hi Cristian, you’ve articulated the key differences between federal, confederation, and unitary systems well, particularly how these structures affect citizens’ relationships with their governments. In federal systems, as you noted, the division of powers allows citizens to engage with both national and regional governments, offering multiple avenues for participation and influence, like in the U.S. On the other hand, confederations, such as the early U.S. under the Articles of Confederation or the European Union, place more authority with regional governments, resulting in weaker central governance and less direct interaction for citizens at the national level. Finally, unitary systems concentrate power in a strong central government, minimizing regional authority and, consequently, the citizens’ engagement with subnational governments, as seen in places like the U.K. or France.

    Your detailed breakdown of how division of power functions within each system helps clarify how these structures prevent power from being overly concentrated and ensure checks and balances. This separation of powers is crucial for maintaining democratic governance, accountability, and citizen involvement, ensuring that no one entity can dominate the political landscape.

    The COVID-19 pandemic provides a strong example of the dynamic at play in federal systems. The federal government provided crucial financial support and health guidelines to states like New York, influencing their responses to the crisis. As you pointed out, this often led to tensions between local and state leaders, such as Mayor Bill de Blasio and Governor Andrew Cuomo, highlighting the challenges of managing crises in a federal structure. Despite these conflicts, the federal system allowed for a tailored response to local conditions while maintaining overall guidance from the central government.

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