Unlike other countries, the political system of the United States historically developed with power distribution shifted towards the states having some form of autonomy. For instance, the Articles of Confederation were developed and ratified after the US gained independence from Great Britain, which initially included 13 states (United States Department of State, 2020). It outlined how the national government should operate in accordance with its predetermined roles as a consolidator of national interests. In other words, the document ensured national unity among the states with minimal influence, making the central government weak and granting the states a higher degree of autonomy (United States Department of State, 2020). However, the Articles of Confederation were later replaced by the United States Constitution on March 4, 1789 (The Library of Congress, 2017). Therefore, the initial desire for autonomy among states still persisted even after the adoption of the Constitution, which impacts the current events. For example, the most recent example is a ban of COVID-19 vaccine mandates by Texas Governor Greg Abbott, which demonstrates states still retained some form of governmental autonomy compared to other nations, where it would not be possible to operate against the national government (Allen, 2021). Therefore, the history of the American political system is heavily influenced with state autonomy.
In the case of civil rights and civil liberties, the United States political system was also affected by Civil War, slavery, and segregation, which all shaped how the current political system functions. The war was a direct result of states wanting to retain their autonomy, especially in regards to slavery and other economic interests over human rights. Therefore, the American political system’s power distribution is heavily tilted towards states compared to other nations, such as European countries.
References
Allen, R. (2021). Texas Gov. Greg Abbott bans any COVID-19 vaccine mandates — including for private employers. The Texas Tribune. Web.
The Library of Congress. (2017). The Articles of Confederation. Web.
United States Department of State. (2020). Articles of Confederation, 1777–1781. Web.