"The price of federalism" article discusses the impact of federalism on government efficiency and social equality. It presents two theories: functional theory, which is optimistic and suggests each level of government has specific roles, and legislative theory, which is pessimistic and argues that national leaders misuse their power. The article explains that as transportation and communication costs decrease, states and localities compete more, leading to a focus on economic development over social needs. The recommendation is for the national government to handle social policies while states and localities manage basic programs like transportation and education.