Federation vs. Confederation

Main Difference

The main difference between the terms Federation and Confederation is that in a federation the sovereignty of the members ceases to exist with its formation whereas in a confederation the members retain their sovereignty even after the confederation is formed.

Difference Between Federation and Confederation

Comparison Chart

Federation vs. Confederation

Federation and confederation are the two political and strategic agreements among provinces or countries, created to enable the constituents for political and economic benefits. Federation is a political entity of regional constituents or states. The member states unite into a single group. These member states have centralized control. Confederation is a permanent union of sovereign states. These states share common interests and economic, political, or administrative convenience.

In a federation, the states come together to create a loose union for the matters of political, economic or administrative convenience. The member states maintain their sovereignty and often appoint a weak central authority to speed up bureaucratic matters in a confederation. The federal government is central or sovereign of the federation. It conducts the member states. However, in a confederation, the central authority is a nominal body that is appointed by the member states. Confederation is a weak authority.

The federal government has great control and influence over the constituents. There is no central government in a confederation, but a weak body elected by member states.

When the states come together to create a federation, they create a new nation-state, with a functioning and powerful central government. The membership of the member states is not voluntary in a federation. The constituents lose part of their authority, and the central government acquires the ability to make all the decisions regarding foreign policy, national security, military, and diplomacy. However, confederation is an opposite system in which the central government has no power. It is only in place to facilitate the decision-making process and to speed up communication. Federation is among the sub-regions in a state whereas confederation is among the several states.

What is the Federation?

Federation is a political and strategic agreement among provinces or countries, created to enable the constituents for political and economic benefits. The basis of the concept of federation is the governing political system. Federation is a political entity of regional constituents or states. These states unite with centralized control into a single group.

Usually, the states with numerous provinces, large territories, and regions follow the system of the federation. Provinces and state members of a federation do not entirely lose their power and enjoy a certain degree of autonomy. The nation’s constitution usually mandates this degree of sovereignty.

It is unconstitutional for any of the party to break this mandate. In a federation, the individual states can also maintain separate traditions, laws, and habits. But the central government has authority over foreign policy, international relations, defense, decision to start or end a war, security matters, diplomacy, national currency, and military.

In a federation, the member states come together to create a loose union for matters of economic, political, or administrative convenience. The federal government acts as the sovereign or central authority of the federation.

This federal government governs all the member states. When the states come together to create a federation, they create a new nation-state, with a functioning and powerful central government. Federation is usually created among sub-regions within a state. In simple words, a federation is a political system in which the member states come together under the umbrella of a central authority.

Examples

Russia, China, USA, Belgium, Austria, Australia, Germany

What is Confederation?

A confederation is a system of governance where the states and provinces, come together for economic, political, security or administrative reasons. Confederation is a union of some sovereign states. The member states in the system of a confederation retain their sovereignty and power.

The member states often appoint a weak central authority to speed up bureaucratic matters in a confederation. The central authority in a confederation is a weak nominal body. The member states appoint it. Confederation is usually formed by a treaty as a way of dealing with important issues such as defense, economic relations, and foreign affairs.

The central government provides support for its member states in this regard. Confederation is a system in which the central government has no power. It only facilitates the decision-making process and to speed up communication.

Confederation is a system opposite to federation in which the central government has no power. It is only in place to facilitate the decision-making process and to speed up communication. The system of confederation is among the several states. It depends on the will of the government or on the local authority of every province and individual state to enter a confederation. It means that the member states have their sovereign identity.

The states also have their political, economic, and autonomous policies even after the formation of the union. In a confederation, there is no common military, unitary budget, common diplomatic representatives, common foreign policy strategy, and common legal system.

Examples

EU, Indigenous confederations in North America, Old Swiss Confederacy, Confederation of the Rhine

Conclusion

Federation and confederation both are the two different forms of government systems of the world. Both the systems are different from each other, and the difference between them lies in the sovereign status of their member states.