Federation Definition Examples Government Difference With

Leo Migdal

-Dec 3, 2025, 11:58 AM

federation definition examples government difference with

A federation (also called a federal state) is an entity characterized by a union of partially self-governing provinces, states, or other regions under a federal government (federalism). In a federation, the self-governing status of the component states, as well as the division of power between them and the central government, is constitutionally entrenched and may not be altered by a unilateral... Sovereign power is formally divided between a central authority and a number of constituent regions so that each region retains some degree of control over its internal affairs.[1] Overriding powers of a central authority theoretically can include the constitutional authority to suspend a constituent state's government by invoking gross mismanagement or civil unrest, or to adopt national legislation that overrides or infringes... The governmental or constitutional structure found in a federation is considered to be federalist, or to be an example of federalism. It can be considered in comparison with the unitary state.

France and Japan, for example, have been unitary for many centuries. The Austrian Empire was a unitary state with crown lands; after the transformation into the Austria-Hungary monarchy, the remaining crown lands of so-called Cisleithania became federated as Länder of the Republic of Austria through... Germany, with its 16 states, or Länder, and Nigeria, with its 36 states and federal capital territory, are examples of federations. Federations are often multi-ethnic and cover a large area of territory (such as Russia, the United States, Canada, India, Brazil, Pakistan or Australia), but neither is necessarily the case (such as Saint Kitts and... Several ancient chiefdoms and kingdoms, such as the 4th-century-BCE League of Corinth, Noricum in Central Europe, and the Iroquois Confederacy in pre-Columbian North America, could be described as federations or confederations. The Old Swiss Confederacy was an early example of formal non-unitary statehood.[citation needed]

Uncover the fundamental structure of a federal government, detailing how authority is divided and balanced across multiple levels. A federation is a system of government where power is divided and shared between a central authority and various constituent units, such as states or provinces. This structure unites diverse regions under a single national entity while preserving their distinct identities and local governance. It contrasts with systems where power is either entirely centralized or fully decentralized. A federal system is characterized by at least two levels of government: a national or central government and regional or state governments. Each level has distinct powers and responsibilities, typically outlined and protected in a written constitution.

Both central and regional governments hold direct authority over citizens. An independent judiciary often resolves disputes between these layers. Amending the constitution usually requires the consent of both central and regional entities, preventing unilateral power alteration. Power distribution in a federation involves a clear delineation of authority. Exclusive powers are held solely by one level of government. For instance, the central government typically manages national defense, foreign policy, coining money, and interstate commerce.

Regional governments often have exclusive authority over matters such as local education, municipal services, property ownership, and elections. Many concurrent powers are shared by both central and regional governments. These include the power to levy taxes, establish courts, make and enforce laws, and spend money for the general welfare. When conflicts arise between federal and state laws, the Supremacy Clause in Article VI of the U.S. Constitution dictates that federal law prevails if constitutional. This ensures a consistent legal framework while allowing for regional variations.

Federalism is a philosophy, doctrine and arguably an ideology (Watts: 1998) that favors a distinct territorial pattern of government, one that combines the centralization of some political powers and the decentralization of others. The etymological origins of federalism derive from “foedus,” the Latin for “alliances” or “leagues” of states that joined together in pacts, covenants or agreements, typically for defensive purposes. Federalists promote “federal political systems,” which combine principles of “shared rule” with “self-rule” in their territorial designs (Elazar: 1987). Often they do so to resolve self-determination disputes. The best known “federal political system” in English is described as a “federation,” which will be defined below. It is important, however, to recognize that political systems that are not explicit “federations” are sometimes described as “federal political systems.” Some argue, for example, that “union states,” such as the United Kingdom of...

Such union-states are certainly examples of “territorial pluralism” (O'Leary and McGarry: 2012), but as we shall see their centralization of sovereignty precludes them being legally described as federations. Other political systems that are sometimes described as “federal” include “confederations” (Forsyth: 1981); “federacies” (Anderson: 2012; O'Leary: 2005; Stepan: 2013); “cross-border inter-governmental institutions” (McGarry and O'Leary: 2005), and condominiums (O'Leary: 1993). Below, however, the focus will be on federations. Any territorial entity with the right to self-determination, i.e. a place and its people that have the right to determine their political status, may exercise that right to become part of a federal political system. Sometimes it is recognized that the relevant entity also has the right to dissolve its membership of a federal political system, that is to secede, though lawyers attached to the federal system usually argue...

There have been federal political systems which expressly embedded the right of secession, e.g. that of the former Soviet Union. Contemporary Ethiopia furnishes another example. There have, however, been other federal systems where the right of secession has been asserted but crushed in protracted civil war. Nigeria and the United States respectively violently blocked the secession of Biafra and the Southern Confederacy. Secession from federal political systems has been successfully defended in arms, usually with external assistance, e.g.

the secession of Bangladesh from Pakistan, but sometimes without, e.g. the secession of Slovenia and Croatia from Yugoslavia, and most of the secessions from the former USSR. In some federal political systems the constitution is silent on the right of secession. In others, the preamble references self-determination or the voluntary status of the federal union: controversy then centers on whether the preamble is an integral component of the constitution. However the constitution of a federal system is constructed some will insist that a voluntary union owes its members the right of dis-union. Reasonable rules may be attached both to accession and secession.

Canada’s Supreme Court, for example, has sought to regulate how a referendum may be held to enable a province to secede from Canada, and to specify the obligations on the relevant parties to conduct... A federation may be defined as a political system in which at least two territorial levels of government share sovereign constitutional authority over their respective division and joint share of law-making powers; differently put,... A confederation in which the member-states can strip confederal institutions of their delegated powers without their consent is therefore not a federation. Likewise, a unitary state in which the central government may lawfully destroy the delegated rights or reconstitute the forms of local or regional governments without their express consent is not a federation. Joint participation in sovereign authority by both the federal government and the federative entities is the hallmark of a federation. Within federations, sovereignty is constitutionally divided and shared between a federal government (which normally has federation-wide authority over certain functions) and what are variously known as regions, provinces, states, länder, cantons, republics, or entities.

Regions are used below as the generic word for the federative entities. In a federation, the federal government and the regions respectively have exclusive responsibility for certain functions, though some powers may be shared. The division and sharing of powers is entrenched in a constitution, which requires the consent of the regions for amendments–though not always their unanimous consent. For example a constitutional amendment may require the support of a qualified majority of the federative entities. “Non-centralization” emphatically distinguishes between federation and the devolution or delegation of authority (Elazar: 1994 9). Within federations powers rightfully belong to both the federation and its regions.

By contrast, under devolved systems powers are delegated to provinces and in principle may be revised or reversed by the central government. For this reason, among others, India, Spain, and the UK cannot be regarded as federations (pace Stepan, et al.: 2011). Spain’s constitution emphasizes the indivisibility of its sovereignty; India’s constitution has been described as an indestructible union of destructible states; and the United Kingdom has expressly reserved the unqualified legal supremacy of the Westminster... Confederation and federation are two forms of government that involve the sharing of power between different levels of authority. However, they differ in terms of the degree of centralization and autonomy granted to the constituent states or provinces. In a confederation, the central government has limited powers and the constituent states retain a high level of sovereignty.

The central government's authority is usually limited to specific areas, such as defense or foreign affairs. On the other hand, in a federation, the central government has more power and authority over the constituent states. The central government can make decisions that affect the entire federation, while the states have some degree of autonomy in managing their internal affairs. Overall, while both systems involve power-sharing, a confederation grants more autonomy to the constituent states, while a federation has a stronger central government. Confederation and federation are two forms of government structures that have been adopted by various countries around the world. While both systems involve the sharing of power between different levels of government, they differ in terms of the degree of centralization and autonomy granted to the constituent states or provinces.

In this article, we will explore the attributes of confederation and federation, highlighting their similarities and differences. A confederation is a political system where the constituent states or provinces retain a significant degree of sovereignty and autonomy. The central government in a confederation is relatively weak and has limited powers, usually restricted to matters of common interest such as defense or foreign affairs. In contrast, a federation is a system where power is divided between a central government and constituent states or provinces. The central government in a federation has more authority and can make decisions on behalf of the entire country, while the states or provinces retain some level of autonomy. In a confederation, power is primarily held by the constituent states or provinces.

The central government's authority is limited to specific areas agreed upon by the member states. This means that the states or provinces have more control over their internal affairs, including legislation, taxation, and governance. On the other hand, a federation distributes power more evenly between the central government and the constituent states or provinces. While the central government has authority over certain matters, such as defense and foreign policy, the states or provinces have the power to make decisions on issues that directly affect their jurisdiction, such as... Confederations tend to be more decentralized compared to federations. The constituent states or provinces in a confederation have a higher level of independence and can act as separate entities in many aspects.

This allows for greater diversity and flexibility in governance, as each state or province can tailor policies to their specific needs. In contrast, federations are more centralized, with the central government playing a more significant role in decision-making. This centralization can lead to more uniform policies and regulations across the country, ensuring consistency and coordination in areas of national importance. • Categorized under Politics | Difference Between Federation and Confederation The terms federation and confederation refer to similar – yet very different – concepts. In a confederation, states come together creating a loose (often temporary) union for matters of political, economic or administrative convenience.

Within a confederation, member states maintain their sovereignty and often appoint a weak central authority to speed up bureaucratic matters. Conversely, states or provinces that join a federation, agree to give up part of their powers and to answer to the central government, which has the power to enforce laws and regulations. In both cases, we are talking about a union of countries, states or provinces, but members of the confederation maintain a large degree of autonomy and independence – and can (almost) freely leave the... A federation is a political system in which individual states come together under the umbrella of a central authority. The decision of entering a federation of state can be voluntary, but in most cases, it is the result of a long historic process or the transformation of a confederation (i.e. temporary and voluntary agreement) into a federation.

Federation Definition Examples Government Difference With

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