Cooperative Federalism: In India and The U.S.A.

Federalism as a system of government involves a certain pattern of relationship between the Centre and States. Such a relationship is amenable to changes in environmental situations. The genesis of the federal structure of government can be traced back to the American federalism. The older federations have exhibited a general tendency towards a stronger central government. In India, there has been a growing demand for constitutional changes in the direction of giving greater autonomy to the states. In recent times, there have been several changes in the structure of the Federal Finance in both India and the U.S.A. In India, many new interpretations have been sought after the Sarkaria Commission Report. The landmark in the U.S.A. has been the loosening of the grip by the process of ‘Reaganomics’ i.e. President Reagan’s attempt to evolve a more amicable financial relation with the federating unit. Thus, there has occurred a remarkable defacto redistribution of power between the units and the center, and this has given rise to the phenomenon of cooperative federalism. In the present volume an attempt is made to study the materials relating to the new phase of financial federalism, i.e. the cooperative trend in federal relations. It discusses in detail the nature of federalism and its various theoretical aspects, history of the development of financial relations in India and the U.S.A. respectively, cooperative governments in the two countries, recent trends in the politics of federal finance, and finally, the futuristic trends of cooperative federalism. A useful book, very relevant to the times, it will prove helpful for administrators, practitioners, academics and students of Political Science & Public Administration in general and Federalism in particular.