Our Changing Constitution

The text traces how the American constitutional system has shifted from a dual federal–state balance toward expanding national power, examining legal, political, and economic forces behind that change. It analyzes the Supreme Court's role in adjudicating federalism disputes, the impact of amendments and landmark decisions—such as prohibition, woman suffrage, and the income tax—and Congressional strategies to regulate commerce, labor, and corporations. Topics include taxation of municipal securities, the federal corporation tax, antitrust law, and the rise of federal bureaucracy, concluding with debates over preserving local police powers and the prospects for a reaction against further centralization.