Concepts of Federalism in Public Policy Making - Essay Example

Concepts of Federalism in Public Policy Making By Devangini Mahapatra Chauhan Federalism is essentially a concept surrounded by political philosophy. According to this concept, a nation that follows federalism is one that believes in binding it various people, from diverse corners of the world, together. Federalism is that system which brings people together under the able guidance of a representative who puts forward their issues without an iota of partiality. Under federalism, the nation looks at each of its citizens as equals and as brothers who are bound together geographically as well as in respect of national sentiment.

The nation that follows federalism is one that follows the principles irrespective of age, caste, creed, race, origin or color.From the concept of federalism have come various other schools of thought, which have culminated into sub concepts in their own right. One of these is the concept of dual federalism according to which the best option before any government or nation is to organize itself into separate yet equal branches of government so as to divide the state and national government in various spheres of functioning and significance.

According to this, the state government may exercise sovereignty within its own boundaries while the national level authorities will be slated to have exclusive and enumerated powers.Another concept that has branched out from federalism is that of cooperative federalism. According to this school of thought, the best course of action is to establish a strong network of consumer cooperative societies through which cooperative wholesale societies will be formed in order to undertake the purchase of farms and factories.

According to federal cooperatives, the proceeds and profits thereof would be paid as dividends to the member cooperatives instead of the workers.Having studied the various aspects of federalism, it would be imperative to state that the public policy making process is greatly influenced by the concept of federalism. To start with, one must understand that the public sphere is an important tool in today's world of growing awareness and even greater media influence. In this regard, through the proponents of federalism, the role of political players as well as official participants in the public policy making process is clearly etched out with mass public representation.

Federalism not only binds people and their efforts together, it also provides a platform where issues can be addressed and solved. This gives impetus to the process of following the correct direction in public policy making.Finally, it is crucial for federalism to continue to grow as an important factor in the public policy making process so as to make sure that there is sustained growth and development of all sections of the society and nation as a whole. Federalism as a concept is an important mechanism in the healthy functioning of the public sphere where decisions are made and affected for implementation in the public policy making process.

References:1. Anderson, James E (October, 2002) Public Policy Making: An Introduction (6th Edition). London: Houghton Muffin Company.2. Dye, Thomas R (June, 2001) Understanding Public Policy (11th Edition). London: Prentice Hall.