Policy Dynamics in Federal Systems: A Framework for Analysis

Abstract

AbstractA central puzzle in federalism research is that federal arrangements have been associated with a variety of policy effects, ranging from emulation of policy innovations among sub-national units to policy variation based on preferences of state or provincial voters and elites to a competitive “race to the bottom.” This article outlines twelve federalism policy dynamics discussed in the literature and provides an analytical framework for understanding when specific policy dynamics are likely to emerge, in either a strong or muted form. Shifts in four sets of facilitating and limiting conditions shape specific federalism policy dynamics and their emergence, consolidation, or weakening over time.