Confederation

Confederation is a union of sovereign states, united for purposes of common action often in relation to other states. Usually created by a treaty, confederations of states tend to be established for dealing with critical issues, such as defense, foreign relations, internal trade or currency, with the general government being required to provide support for all its members.

History

The term confederation was officially used for the first time in the French Revolution, to distinguish the French First Republic from the monarchies of the European states. This term indicated the new sovereignty of the French State against the kingdoms and empires of the old regime.

Modern Confederations

In a modern context, a confederation is usually limited to a permanent union of sovereign states for common action in relation to other states. The closest entity in the world to a confederation at this time is the European Union. While the word is not in the title, the EU has characteristics of a confederation.

Confederation vs Federation

A confederation is more likely to be seen as a union of sovereign states, while a federation is understood to be a state itself. A confederation is meant to be a temporary or permanent organization among sovereign states. In a federation, the division of power between federal and regional governments is set out in the constitution.

See Also

• Federation
• Union (politics)
• Devolution
• Supranational union

References

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  Proclamation of Canadian Confederation

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  Map of the Country of the Five Nations, 1730