Comparing and contrasting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Comparing and contrasting - Essay Example More specifically, the paper will focus on separation of powers, federalism, parliamentary sovereignty, bicameralism, bill of rights, heads of power, control of finances, and power of the electorate among others. One of the most crucial aspect of both the United States and Australian Constitution is Federalism. This aspect refers to the sharing of powers between the state and national governments. In the United States, state have existed for a long time. They were formed before the national government and it is their union that led to the creation of the federal government. Under the federal system of governance, the United States Constitution holds that the federal government has the power to oversee issues that affect America as a nation. Thus, national issues are dealt with by the federal government. The state governments only deal with issues within their jurisdiction. Under the constitution, the federal government has powers to make laws that affect the entire nation. However, the constitution limits these powers. For example, trading activities between states can be regulated by the federal government, but it has no powers to influence trade occurring within a state (Zines, 2008). The United States Constitution is similar to the Australian Constitution, which is also based on the federal system. Power is divided between the state and Federal government. The federation was formed in 1901. In Australia, there are six states. Since Australia is governed by the laws of the Commonwealth, the government is also referred as the Commonwealth government. The powers of the Federal government in Australia have been clearly indicated in Section 51 of the Australian Constitution. Most financial decisions, including those affecting the individual states, are made by the central government. Although the federal structure makes the United States Constitution similar to the Australian Constitution, there are differences in that the United States has more