What Is Dual Federalism?

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Dual Federalism: This theory posits that the federal government and state governments are co-equal entities, each possessing its own sovereignty. In this framework, the Constitution is interpreted very narrowly, focusing on specific provisions like the Ten Commandments, the Supremacy Clause, the Necessary and Proper Clause, and the Commerce Clause. Under this strict interpretation, the federal government can only exercise powers that are explicitly granted by the Constitution, which results in substantial authority being vested in state governments. Essentially, the federal government is limited to the powers explicitly listed in the Constitution (Jordan, 2014). Rigid Theory: Advocated by A.H. Hirsch, this theory contends that federalism is