Question

What is the main difference between federal and confederal system of government?

Answer 1

In a federation, the central government and the smaller states or municipalities work in agreement but are separate from one another. The powers of the central government and the states are typically enumerated in some type of document, such as a constitution. Conversely, a confederation is basically an alliance between states or nations that agree to work together toward common interests but still retain their individual powers of governance.The United States utilizes a federal system. The federal government is granted specific powers by the U.S. Constitution, and any powers not granted to the federal government within the Constitution are granted to the states. The states retain some level of independence but are still subject to the governance of the federal government. However, if the United States operated as a confederation, the situation would be reversed. Each state would have the power to override federal power as it saw fit.

Answer 2

Federation is the name of a sovereign state formed by several states with autonomy of government and administration. When these entities come together through a constitution, the federation is formed, as is the case with the United States. Thus, in the Federation regime states form a central government to represent them as a federative unit in matters common to all states, such as international representation.

Confederation is similar to federation, but differs in the fact that the confederation entities are sovereign and their formation is made by alliances while in federation this is by constitution. Confederation, therefore, is a union of states created through treaties. One of the main characteristics and differences between a confederation and a federation is that in the former it does not neglect the constituent states while in the latter the authority is transferred to the federal state.