Final answer:
Federalism does not rarely deepen economic and social disparities among states; rather, it can lead to significant disparities due to varied state policies and resources.
Step-by-step explanation:
False, federalism does not rarely deepen economic and social disparities among states. In practice, federalism can lead to significant economic and social disparities. This happens due to the variability in resources, policy decisions, and economic activities that are intrinsic to the states in a federal system. States often compete to attract businesses through incentives, which can lead to a 'race to the bottom' in terms of lowering taxes and labor standards. Furthermore, the capacity for states to provide essential services like education and healthcare can differ substantially, as evidenced by states like New York and Utah having vast differences in per-student education spending.
Proponents of social justice argue that these disparities are difficult to address on a national level due to the decentralized nature of decision-making in a federal system. Instead of a single, cohesive effort, it requires multiple advocacy efforts across the individual states to enact change. Education, healthcare accessibility, and income levels are key areas where these disparities are often most visible. Consequently, claiming that federalism rarely contributes to disparities would be inaccurate.