Cooperative federalism is the concept that refers to how national, state, and local governments cooperate to solve problems and create policies. Cooperative federalism emphasizes overlapping responsibilities and power between state and local governments and the federal government. The United States moved away from dual federalism, an arrangement that divides powers between the national and state governments to function individually, and toward cooperative federalism during the 1930s as a response to the Great Depression.[1] Cooperative federalism applies to the legislative and executive branches (not the judiciary) of government and can be seen in various government activities. According to an article published in The Hill[2] titled “Maintaining Cooperation in Cooperative Federalism,” cooperative federalism has benefits for both national and state governments. These benefits include improving relations between federal states and allowing citizens to reap the benefits of state innovation. Although political systems are constantly changing and evolving, cooperative federalism is still implemented in many ways in current government. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Cooperative federalism can be seen in the legislative branch of the United States in the process of passing bills and creating laws. During the Great Depression the federal government began to increase power. In response to this, a new approach to government interaction called The New Deal[3] put in place several national programs that forced the federal government to work with state and local governments to implement the new policies. When state and federal legislatures work together to address an issue or solve a problem, the federal government generally sets goals that must be achieved, and states can approach those goals in any way they decide as long as the goals are achieved. The federal government intervenes in this process only when objectives are not achieved, in which case it is allowed to modify the current approach. Cooperative efforts by federal and state legislatures can be seen recently in government issues such as education and environmental protection. For example, the federal government provides funding and sets certain criteria for school systems, while each individual school board can choose its own curriculum and teacher qualifications. This cooperation between federal and state governments allows states to feel empowered by giving them freedom of choice. In addition to its place in the legislature, cooperative federalism is also seen in the executive branch of government. Federal government grants work with states to enforce certain laws, and states can take their own approach. Law enforcement is an example of how cooperative federalism is used with the executive branch. For example, the federal and state governments work together to enforce laws such as drug laws. Both levels of government are held responsible for enforcing these laws using federal agents and local police. Local police play an important role in law enforcement in the United States, which shows how federal and state governments can come together to achieve a single goal. States benefit from this aspect of cooperative federalism because they have the power to act according to federal law. Although there are examples of cooperation between state and federal governments,there is also evidence to suggest that the federal government still has an unequal amount of power over the United States. the states. Although states have the power to do things like set their own rules for law enforcement and implement policies in their own ways, federal governments are usually a large source of funding for state activities. This causes states to sometimes feel like the federal government still has control over them in a way that is not cooperative. Although the federal government provides funding to states, it is often regulated by the federal government such that states must follow certain guidelines to obtain funding. While this seems necessary to ensure that federal money is used most effectively, it does in some ways limit the power of the states. Cooperation can be seen in several ways, and in the United States, although states and local governments act cooperatively, the federal government remains more powerful in many ways. When it comes to cooperation in state and local activities there are many instances where the state and federal government must come together to produce activities that benefit citizens. They do this by creating guidelines and defining objectives that must be achieved and then creating budgets for these activities. When the state decides on the objectives of the activities, they are presented to the federal government for funding. The national government will then decide whether or not to provide funding for these activities through grants. Grants are financial assistance provided by the government to finance activities and programs. There are several types of federal grants including categorical grants and block grants. Categorical grants are grants that can only be used for a specific purpose, most federal assistance to state governments is in the form of categorical grants. Block grants can be used for a wide range of general public services rather than specific programs. With block grants, state and local governments can use their discretion regarding how funds are awarded with very little interference from the federal government. These grants are much less likely. When state and local governments receive these grants, they can do things like fix roads, implement new education programs and fund welfare in their regions. The federal government does its part by ensuring that programs achieve their goals and that funding is used effectively. This is an example of how federal, state and local governments cooperate with each other to achieve goals. Cooperative federalism was established so that the federal government would not become too powerful and so that states would not lose their individual authority. The federal government works with state governments to achieve goals and make improvements in the country for citizens. The previous paragraph mentions how states ask the federal government for funding for their activities and programs, which is one way states collaborate with the federal government. The federal government will also occasionally offer state money to advance a federal agenda at the state level. An example of cooperative federalism is provided in a page of the Legal Dictionary entitled Categorical subsidies[4]. In this example, the federal government wanted to make the streets safer by implementing a seat belt program (e.g. “Click it or ticket”[5]). To do this without taking individual power away from the State, the federal government has offered money to States to implement this program in their own way according to the guidelines.