杰斐逊的联邦制思想与“国内改进”政策的延滞

对杰斐逊而言,联邦制意味着联邦政府和各州政府共同分享国家主权,其中,联邦政府享有管理对外事务(包括国际和州际事务)的权力,而各州政府则享有管理对内事务的权力。他主张对宪法进行严格解释,强调联邦政府的权力严格地限于宪法中所列举的范围。在杰斐逊执政时期,他赞同联邦政府进行国内改进(即交通建设),但是,由于宪法并没有明确授予联邦政府进行国内改进的权力,他强调必须通过一项宪法修正案,明确授予联邦政府有关权力,其目的在于维护他关于联邦制的一贯主张,维护联邦政府和各州政府之间的权力划分。主要由于杰斐逊的联邦制思想的阻碍,联邦政府的国内改进政策始终延滞不前。

Jefferson's Federalism and the Problem of Internal Improvements

As Jefferson saw it,federalism meant that the federal government and the state governments shared the sovereign national power,with the former responsible for all foreign affairs(including the international and inter-state affairs),and the latter responsible for their internal affairs.He also advocated the strict construction of the Constitution,and believed that the powers of the federal government were strictly limited to those specifically enumerated in the Constitution.During his presidency,Jefferson su...