10 Reasons Why America Truly Is Exceptional
6. American federalism is exceptional
American policies have been characterized since their inception by a system of federalism (divided power between the states and the federal government) and checks and balances (among the legislative, executive and judicial branches), which were designed to prevent any faction, region, or government organ from becoming too powerful. This system, along with the Americans’ accompanying natural distrust of concentrated power, has prevented the United States from suffering a “tyranny of the majority,” and has been a preservative of a free republican democracy. The states’ rights act as a protective buffer between the people and the federal government, and also allow a citizen to live in a locality whose laws reflect that citizen’s values. A consequence of this political system is that while the federal government is kept from becoming too powerful, it also means that laws can vary greatly across the country.
