Politics: Comparing US federalism and UK devolution

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Federalism - An entrenched principle of the US Constitution (Tenth Amendment - States Rights), can't be repealed easily.

These are significant affairs in the USA and often fiercely contested both between and within the two main parties.

In the UK - devolution does not apply to England, only Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Most of the UK's population lives in England, which doesn't have its own parliament. Decisions are made by Westminster MPs, the power of English Councils is tightly circumscribed and they enjoy nothing like the primary legislative powers of the devolved regional assemblies. This means devolution is 'incomplete' in the UK.

This relates to political parties in the UK's devolved regions (such as the SNP and Sinn Féin), which view victory or strong showings in assembly elections as important stepping stones towards securing their goal of full independence. By contrast, secession has been off the cards for US States since 1865 (end of the US Civil War).

This is associated with how devolution and federalism have had similar approaches to central/federal government. For example, like England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland still vote and send MPs to Westminster, and in the US, citizens within a State vote for both the State Legislature and vote for Representatives and Senators to sit in Congress.

Devolution is a much more recent phenomenon in the UK than federalism is in the USA. It was also initially a controversial idea - Conservatives continuously and consistently opposed devolution prior to Tony Blair's Labour government pushing the policy through.

This term defines there being differences in the law, depending on which region/State you are in, within the UK/US. For example, in the US, the death penalty is legal in Texas but illegal in New York.

US pressure groups focus much of their activity on state legislatures but also state supreme courts. In the UK, parliament and Whitehall remain the main focus of lobbying.

States' rights are a deep-rooted concept in US political history, reflected in a strong attachment to state-based institutions. State governors often enjoy higher approval ratings than presidents and Congress.