As a political idea, federalism--the concept that democratic government should be divided between different tiers--has been subjected to a negative and even hostile treatment by sections of both the establishment and the media in Britain. For some years a popular misconception has been promoted that federalism and federal thinking are alien to British tradition. Yet history reveals a very different picture.The federal constitution of the USA was created by British citizens influenced above all by British political ideas. From Australia and Canada to India and Germany, the legacies of British origin or influence have been federal constitutions.In this new book, leading federalist proponents explore the theoretical and practical areas in which Federalism has made a significant contribution towards the construction of the European Union. It also shows how the European Union may now offer Britain an effective route for achieving a number of its most important policy goals both at home and abroad.