Which of the following statements best describes the idea of federalism in a modern democratic constitution?

Introduction / Context:
Federalism is a key principle in many modern democratic constitutions, including those of India and the United States. It describes how power is shared between different levels of government, typically a central (national) government and regional (state or provincial) governments. This question asks you to identify the statement that most accurately summarises the concept of federalism as understood in contemporary political science and constitutional law.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• We are given four statements that describe different ideas about government structure.
• The aim is to find the statement that correctly defines federalism.
• Options mention direct democracy, federal supremacy, mixed monarchy and democracy, and sharing power.
• We assume a basic familiarity with the idea that India is a “Union of States” with federal features.

Concept / Approach:
Federalism is generally defined as a system of government in which power is divided and shared between a central authority and constituent units, such as States, each level having its own sphere of authority under a common Constitution. It does not necessarily require direct democracy, nor does it mean absolute supremacy of the national government over the States. It is also not simply a mix of monarchy and democracy. The core idea is the constitutional sharing of power and responsibilities between two levels of government, which is captured by the statement that the State and national government share power.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall the standard textbook definition of federalism: a division of powers between a central authority and regional governments under a written Constitution. Step 2: Examine each option to see which one fits this definition. Step 3: Recognise that the statement about sharing power between State and national government under a common Constitution directly matches the definition. Step 4: Reject statements mentioning only direct democracy or supremacy of one level, as they misrepresent the balanced nature of federalism. Step 5: Select the option describing shared power between levels of government as the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
You can verify this by thinking of examples like India and the United States, where both the central government and States have their own lists of powers (Union List, State List, Concurrent List in India). The Constitution explicitly divides subjects between them, which is a hallmark of federalism. None of the other options reflect this structured division of power. Standard civics and polity textbooks also define federalism in terms of power-sharing between national and regional governments, confirming our chosen statement.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Federalism encourages direct democracy only at the State level: Direct democracy (like referendums and initiatives) is a separate concept and is not the defining feature of federalism.
Federalism simply means the supremacy of the national government over all States: While some federations may have a strong centre, federalism by definition involves sharing, not pure supremacy.

Federalism is a mixed form of government combining monarchy and democracy: This is incorrect; federalism relates to territorial distribution of powers, not to mixing monarchy with democracy.

Common Pitfalls:
A common mistake is to equate federalism with centralisation or decentralisation alone, without recognising the constitutional division of powers. Some students also confuse federalism with democracy in general or with unitary systems that have only administrative decentralisation. Keeping in mind that federalism always involves at least two constitutionally recognised levels of government sharing power helps prevent such misunderstandings.

Final Answer:
The best definition of federalism is that it enables the State and the national government to share power under a common Constitution.