American Government / Unit 2 Gov 078 short lesson, about 20 seconds
States as Laboratories
Captions available
The idea
Federalism lets individual states test policies, so successful experiments can spread and failures stay contained.
In practice
Justice Brandeis's 1932 dissent gave the picture its name: a single state may serve as a laboratory.
Where people slip
The laboratory works both directions — states can pioneer protections or races to the bottom.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
Builds on
Something wrong in this lesson? Flag it · Sources for American Government