Historically, the states have not been responsive to various constituencies. It took federal action to overcome inequalities. It took federal action to create uniform standards to protect civil liberties. National citizenship should address these inequalities. There is a relationship between federalism and pluralism.
Federalism recognizes the legitimacy of states as political units.
These political divisions are an acknowledgment of diversity. Each of the two competing theories of federalism supports pluralism. Dual federalism gives prominence to local rather than national standards.