confederal
Alliance of states
Confederal describes a system where independent states or entities unite under a central authority while retaining most of their sovereignty.
In a confederal arrangement, the central government has limited powers, typically restricted to matters like defense or trade, while member states keep primary authority: The Articles of Confederation created a confederal system that proved too weak to govern effectively.
Compare with federal, where central authority is stronger.
Temporary alliance for action
- leagueAssociation or distance unit
- pactFormal agreement between parties
- treatyBinding pact between nations
- compactTightly packed together
entente · bloc · axis · consortium · partnership · affiliation · association · union
Supreme independent authority
- autonomyIndependent decision-making capacity
- subsidiarityLocal authority when able
- self-ruleGovernance without outside control
- decentralizationDistributing power from center
devolution · localism · regionalism · polycentric · jurisdiction · constitution · ratification · amendment
coalition
Temporary alliance for action
- leagueAssociation or distance unit
- pactFormal agreement between parties
- treatyBinding pact between nations
compact · entente · bloc · axis · consortium · partnership · affiliation · association · union · articles
sovereignty
Supreme independent authority
- autonomyIndependent decision-making capacity
- subsidiarityLocal authority when able
- self-ruleGovernance without outside control
decentralization · devolution · localism · regionalism · polycentric · jurisdiction · constitution · ratification · amendment · bicameral
confederalunitary
Forming a single entity
centralized · centralist · federal · consolidated · absolutist
confederalunitary
Forming a single entity
unified · integrated · consolidated · indivisible · amalgamated
- Confederate forcesSecessionist military units
- Confederate StatesSecessionist southern republic
- Confederate flagsEmblems of Southern secession
- Articles of ConfederationOriginal American governing charter
- Confederate ArmySecession states' military
- Iroquois ConfederacyNative American tribal league
confederate, confederation, confederacy, confederated, confederations, confederates, confederating