Democracy Denied: Flawed Federalism and the Downfall of U.S. Reconstruction

• In Event: Democracy under Stress: Historical and Comparative Perspectives

Abstract

To varying degrees of success, the United States has engaged in multiple periods of progress throughout its history, with these moments consistently met with immediate backlash that frequently occurs at state and local levels. Meanwhile, when it comes to efforts to expand democracy and reconcile with racism, the federal government has often been a beacon of progress. How do the different dimensions of federalism established in the United States Constitution impact the nation’s ability to expand democracy and make racial progress? Introducing an overarching framework of interdimensional federalism, this study contextualizes institutionalized power dynamics between national and subnational governments, and between state governments during federalism’s founding in the United States. Then, taking the Reconstruction Era as the primary case study, this paper analyzes how and why different dimensions of federalism impact efforts of democratic expansion and racial reconciliation. Ultimately, this study finds that the historical context in which the combination of decentralized, asymmetrical federalism was institutionalized in the United States directly led to the creation of a system that purposefully inhibited democracy and equitable representation by shifting disproportionate power to minority, elite voices, thus impeding efforts of democratization and racial reckoning. In the case of the rapid downfall of Reconstruction, the elements of decentralization and asymmetry that remained protected in the Constitution allowed Southern Democrats to quickly take over state governments, reinforce white supremacy, and halt national efforts of racial reckoning and democratic expansion.

Author

• Amanda Chen, Cornell University