ABSTRACT
This article analyzes the main aspects of federative political systems according to classical and contemporary theories and the case of the Brazilian health sector. Brazil presents a federative configuration founded on cooperation as a result of the democratic transition in which the consensual dimensions of democracy were strengthened. On the other side, the weakening of the madisonian aspects of separation of the functions and judicial review compromised the policy coordination and the accountability in health policy. It is argued that cooperative aspects are compromised by the singularity of municipalities with federative power without the creation of compensatory institutions of the competitive deficits.
KEYWORDS:
Federalism; Unified Health System; Public health policy