Federal Versus State and Local Government
Radio Q&A: Sunday, 21 October 2012, Question 1
I answered a question on federal versus state and local government on Philosophy in Action Radio on 21 October 2012. You can listen to or download the podcast segment below – or check out the whole episode.
Is it proper for state or local government to enact laws that a federal government should not? A proper government is one that fulfills and is limited to the role of protecting citizens from initiations of force by other individuals or other nations. However, in a free and proper society, is it proper for local and state governments to enact laws that go beyond the proper functions of a federal government? For example, in a properly-governed United States, could states enact certain laws that regulate behavior beyond what the federal government could enact, perhaps based on the religious or other values held by most people in that community – on the assumption that any person who disagreed could leave the area?
My Answer, In Brief: The primary goal of all levels and branches of government must be to respect and protect rights. To do that, government should be divided into local, state, and national levels, each with different functions. That way, individuals have more political influence, government can be more responsive to local conditions, law can be developed by inductive experimentation, and the power of any one level of government is checked by the others.
Tags: Crime, Free Society, Government, Induction, Law, Politics, Rights, State's Rights
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- Duration: 35:10
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Relevant Links
- Wikipedia: Federalism and Fence: Legal Issues
- Philosophy in Action: Consent in Sex
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About Philosophy in Action Radio
I'm Dr. Diana Hsieh. I'm a philosopher specializing the application of rational principles to the challenges of real life. I received my Ph.D in philosophy from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 2009. My first book, Responsibility & Luck: A Defense of Praise and Blame, is available for purchase in paperback, as well as for Kindle and Nook. The book defends the justice of moral praise and blame of persons using an Aristotelian theory of moral responsibility, thereby refuting Thomas Nagel's "problem of moral luck."
My radio show, Philosophy in Action Radio, broadcasts live over the internet on Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings. On Sunday mornings, I answer four meaty questions applying rational principles to the challenges of real life in a live hour-long show. Greg Perkins of Objectivist Answers co-hosts the show. On Wednesday evenings, I interview an expert guest about a topic of practical importance.
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