Posted by Trent on 2010/07/19
Federalist No. 39 is the essential essay on Federalism in the original Constitution. Here is how Madison sums up.
The proposed Constitution, therefore, is, in strictness, neither a national nor a federal Constitution, but a composition of both. In its foundation it is federal, not national; in the sources from which the ordinary powers of the government are drawn, it is partly federal and partly national; in the operation of these powers, it is national, not federal; in the extent of them, again, it is federal, not national; and, finally, in the authoritative mode of introducing amendments, it is neither wholly federal nor wholly national.
One word of caution: The Constitution gave Federalism a new meaning very different from the old idea of a lose, defensive federation. Generally, as here, when they use the term they have in mind the older rather than the newer meaning.
Books
Federalism, James Madison, The Federalist, U.S. Constitution
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