Final answer:
Expropriation, or eminent domain, is the legal process where the government takes private property for public use with just compensation, whereas confiscation is the seizure of property as a penalty without compensation.
Step-by-step explanation:
The terms 'expropriation' and 'confiscation' both involve the government taking possession of private property, but differ in context and legality. Expropriation is a lawful process where the government takes private property for public use, such as for infrastructure projects, and provides just compensation to the owner.
This process is also known as eminent domain. For instance, the last clause of the fifth amendment, the Takings Clause, allows for eminent domain. On the other hand, confiscation typically refers to the seizure of property as a penalty for legal transgressions or during states of emergency without compensation, as seen with the confiscation acts during the American Revolution which targeted Loyalists' property.