How are powers divided between the states and the central government?

Answer 1

The advantages of dividing power between the central government and the states is that it leads to equality. The basic services like health care and education get to reach to the people at the grassroots.

Answer 2

In the United States, power is shared and divided between the individual US States and the central (Federal )government. The founding fathers of the United States represented the original 13 British Colonies. Upon the successful American Revolutionary War against Great Britain, the 13 colonies each had their own "constitutions".

The representatives of the Colonies wanted to avoid the problems they saw in the British government which had a strong central government, a so-called "constitutional monarchy ". In the English system, voting was restrictive. and power strongly centered in the King and aristocracy.

With that in mind the formed a "constitutional republic". The US Constitution was designed to not only protect the US States that formed the new government but also within that central government, they created 3 branches which shared the powers in a central government.

The new Central government was given certain powers deemed critical for having a single "nation", such as forming the main military forces like a Navy as example.

All the powers of the new central government were written & agreed upon by the colonial representatives. All powers they did not relegate to the new central government, were powers left to the US States that created the central government.

This made perfect sense, as to create a central government with immense power over the "creators", meaning the 13 colonies (States) made no sense and would make a central government with far too much power.