We have seen that federal decentralization has benefited Americans in many ways. Democratic competition in America’s federal system has been enhanced by the ability of successful local leaders to become competitive candidates for higher office, and by the ability of national parties to sponsor competitive candidates for local government positions. Responsible local governments had the authority and incentives to make the local investments necessary to develop a prosperous community, while the security of democratic rights encouraged ordinary citizens to make their own contributions to that prosperity.
However, people who are not familiar with federalism or democracy may have a harder time appreciating the benefits of federalism than democracy. People everywhere can appreciate the democratic ideal that they should have a choice about who leads them and that power in government should depend on broad popular approval.
However, federal democracy demands more from voters. When power is shared between local and federal officials, disagreements inevitably arise over the lines dividing local and federal authority. In a democracy, the resolution of such constitutional disputes must ultimately depend on the judgment of the voters. Voters must understand that their elected leaders at the national level need supreme authority to serve and protect the broad interests of the entire country, but that their elected leaders at the local level also need a degree of governmental autonomy to provide public services to their communities. An official at any level who undermines the legitimate constitutional authority of another level should lose trust and votes in the future.
It may take several years of experience with federal democracy for voters to develop a broad understanding of what the proper balance between the various levels of government should be. America was indeed very blessed in that its local governments were elected long before the first national government. Even before the establishment of the American republic, its citizens had decades of experience with the division of power between local provincial assemblies and the supreme government of the British Empire. A key lesson from American history is that those who seek to promote vigorous democratic development must appreciate the vital benefits of a balanced federal system in which people can elect responsible local governments as well as their sovereign national government.