Federalism and Public Responsiveness to Policy

Christopher Wlezien and Stuart N. Soroka

Publius: The Journal of Federalism, 2011, vol. 41, issue 1, 31-52

Abstract: Public responsiveness to government policy is a crucial component of representative democracy, but may be far weaker in federal regimes. This article explores the consequences of federalism for public responsiveness in one highly federalized policy domain: welfare spending in Canada. Results suggest that citizens' preferences for spending at the federal level are affected by changes in both federal and provincial spending, and to an equal degree; they suggest, in short, that federalism poses serious problems where public responsiveness is concerned. A concluding section considers the implications of these findings for the representation of public opinion in policy in federalized states. Copyright 2011, Oxford University Press.

Date: 2011
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