Skip to main content
Presented to you through Paradigm Publishing Services

Princeton University Press

Visit our Partner Page See all our books
book: Democratic Federalism
Book
Licensed
Unlicensed Requires Authentication

Democratic Federalism

The Economics, Politics, and Law of Federal Governance
  • and
Language: English
Published/Copyright: 2020

About this book

An authoritative guide to federal democracy from two respected experts in the field

Around the world, federalism has emerged as the system of choice for nascent republics and established nations alike. In this book, leading scholars and governmental advisers Robert Inman and Daniel Rubinfeld consider the most promising forms of federal governance and the most effective path to enacting federal policies. The result is an essential guide to federalism, its principles, its applications, and its potential to enhance democratic governance.

Drawing on the latest work from economics, political science, and law, Inman and Rubinfeld assess different models of federalism and their relative abilities to promote economic efficiency, encourage the participation of citizens, and protect individual liberties. Under the right conditions, the authors argue, a federal democracy—including a national legislature with locally elected representatives—can best achieve these goals. Because a stable union between the national and local governments is key, Inman and Rubinfeld also propose an innovative method for evaluating new federal laws and their possible impact on state and local governments. Finally, to show what the adoption of federalism can mean for citizens, the authors discuss the evolution of governance in the European Union and South Africa’s transition from apartheid to a multiracial democracy.

Interdisciplinary in approach, Democratic Federalism brims with applicable policy ideas and comparative case studies of global significance. This book is indispensable for understanding the importance of federal forms of government—both in recent history and, crucially, for future democracies.

Author / Editor information

Robert P. Inman is the Richard K. Mellon Professor Emeritus of Finance, Economics, and Public Policy at the University of Pennsylvania, where he continues to teach at the Wharton School and the Law School. His books include Making Cities Work (Princeton). Daniel L. Rubinfeld is professor of law at New York University and the Robert L. Bridges Professor Emeritus of Law and professor emeritus of economics at the University of California, Berkeley. He is the coauthor of Microeconomics and Econometric Models and Economic Forecasts.

Reviews

"Democratic Federalism is a significant contribution to the field of federalism studies, as it offers valuable insights into the complex relationships between economic decentralization, democratic politics, and constitutional federalism. . . . [T]his book is essential reading."---Mikhail Filippov, Publius --- "Democratic Federalism, offers a valuable and well-researched analysis of Federalism by highlighting several case studies worldwide, especially those from countries with emerging democracies. It is highly recommended for those interested in understanding the economic, legal, and political facets of democratic governance that ensures equal access to goods and services safeguards minorities' rights, and allows them to participate in democratic processes."---Aynur Unal, The Rest Journal

Topics

  • Publicly Available

    Frontmatter

    i
    Download PDF
  • Publicly Available

    Contents

    vii
    Download PDF
  • Publicly Available

    Acknowledgments

    ix
    Download PDF
  • Requires Authentication Unlicensed
    Licensed

    1. Introduction

    1
    Download PDF
  • Part I. The Institutions of Democratic Federalism
  • Requires Authentication Unlicensed
    Licensed

    2. Economic Federalism

    37
    Download PDF
  • Requires Authentication Unlicensed
    Licensed

    3. Cooperative Federalism

    75
    Download PDF
  • Requires Authentication Unlicensed
    Licensed

    4. Democratic Federalism

    99
    Download PDF
  • Requires Authentication Unlicensed
    Licensed

    5. Democratic Federalism

    139
    Download PDF
  • Part II. Encouraging the Federal Conversation
  • Requires Authentication Unlicensed
    Licensed

    6. FIST

    181
    Download PDF
  • Requires Authentication Unlicensed
    Licensed

    7. Fiscal Policy in the Federal Union

    210
    Download PDF
  • Requires Authentication Unlicensed
    Licensed

    8. Regulation in the Federal Union

    255
    Download PDF
  • Part III. On Becoming Federal
  • Requires Authentication Unlicensed
    Licensed

    9. The European Union

    299
    Download PDF
  • Requires Authentication Unlicensed
    Licensed

    10. Mandela’s Federal Democracy

    340
    Download PDF
  • Requires Authentication Unlicensed
    Licensed

    11. Epilogue

    372
    Download PDF
  • Requires Authentication Unlicensed
    Licensed

    Bibliography

    379
    Download PDF
  • Requires Authentication Unlicensed
    Licensed

    Name Index

    417
    Download PDF
  • Requires Authentication Unlicensed
    Licensed

    Subject Index

    425
    Download PDF
  • Requires Authentication Unlicensed
    Licensed

    A NOTE ON THE TYPE

    436
    Download PDF

Publishing information
Pages and Images/Illustrations in book
eBook published on:
June 22, 2020
eBook ISBN:
9780691202136
Pages and Images/Illustrations in book
View content
https://doi.org/10.1515/9780691202136
eBook ISBN: 9780691202136
Keywords for this book
Governance; Cooperative federalism; Tax; Institution; Legislature; National Policy; Regulation; Voting; Economic efficiency; Democracy; Tax rate; Income; Political party; Politics; Fiscal policy; Central government; Deliberation; Election; Legislator; Legislation; Provision (contracting); Funding; Economy; State government; Provision (accounting); Externality; Government; Political economy; Federal Union; Economist; Political science; Local government; Economics; Requirement; Jurisdiction; United States Constitution; Property tax; Decision-making; Marginal cost; National Legislature (South Sudan); Monetary policy; Government spending; Government debt; De facto; Merit good; Decentralization; Household; Coase theorem; Policy; Fiscal federalism; Race to the bottom; Budget; Tax revenue; Welfare; Social insurance; Supply (economics); Tax reform; Citizens (Spanish political party); Right to property; Employment; Government budget; Member state; Proportional representation; Inefficiency; Subsidy; Economic growth; Federalism in the United States; Competition; Chapter 9; Cost–benefit analysis
Audience(s) for this book
For an expert adult audience, including professional development and academic research
Downloaded on 21.4.2026 from https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1515/9780691202136/html
Scroll to top button