What does federalism allow?

• A. States and national government to share power
• B. The national government to rule alone
• C. The states to govern without federal input
• D. The people to vote directly on all laws

Answer: (A)

Federalism lets power be shared between the national government and the states, with each level having authority in its own areas and room to cooperate on others. This means the national government can handle broad, national matters like defense and interstate commerce, while states manage local concerns such as education and policing, yet both levels can act on certain issues at the same time. The arrangement provides a system of division and balance, where conflicts can be resolved within the constitutional framework and through the idea that some powers are reserved to the states, some are delegated to the national government, and some are shared (concurrent powers).

Ruling the national government alone would concentrate authority and undercut federalism. Allowing states to govern without any federal input bypasses the constitutional system that assigns both national and state powers. Letting people vote directly on all laws describes a direct democracy in practice, not how lawmaking operates in the United States, where representatives and legislatures at both levels shape policy.