How does the confederation differ from the federation: the similarity and difference of these political formations

The question, how the confederation differs from the federation, often sounds at the exams on the constitutional law of Russia. It is especially relevant for our country, because it is Russia that positions itself as a multinational federal state, where each entity has its powers within the framework of constitutional rights.

How should one answer questions on constitutional law: how is the confederation different from the federation, what is the essence of such political institutions? We will try to answer them within the framework of the standard course of constitutional law and other obligatory disciplines, which are necessary for future lawyers and political scientists.

Confederation and federation: what is the main difference

One of the modern forms of government is the federation. It can be described as a set of different territorially isolated units within the borders of one state. There is another similar form of government, which is also a collection of autonomous territorial units.

If we formulate the thesis that the federation differs from the confederation, briefly, the main difference will be the following: the subjects of the federation can not unilaterally withdraw from the state. Usually this rule is fixed in the main document of the country - the Constitution. Subjects of the confederation have such a right. From here one can draw another conclusion: federal states are more stable in their political structure. Confederations can disintegrate unilaterally into several independent sovereign states.

Examples from history

A classic example of how a confederation differs from a federation is the comparison of the political structure of the confederation of the southern states on the eve of the Civil War in the United States. Each subject of the confederation had its own legislation, courts, police and so on. After the defeat of the South, a particularly complex political decision was not only the refusal of slavery, but also the reduction of the code of laws to a common base.

At present, the confederal form of the political system is preserved in Switzerland.

A classic example of a federal system is Russia. There are other states whose political structure is a symbiosis of confederative and federal relations. Among such modern states can be noted the US, Germany, etc.

Other differences between these state devices

How does the confederation differ from the federation in other ways? First of all, all subjects of the confederation retain their independence in carrying out foreign and domestic policy. There is no mechanism for appointing officials to the field, there is no single central budget where members of the confederation transfer taxes. With a federal arrangement, management is conducted from one center, tax deductions from local budgets also flow there.

Answers to tests on constitutional law

To the question: determine what the federation is different from the confederation, you can give several answers:

• The subjects of the confederation are independent in the sphere of foreign and domestic policy, unified state government bodies, courts and so on. In the federal system, state authorities are administered from a single center. It is mandatory to use one language within the federation, especially in state authorities.
• The Federation includes several levels of subordination: republics, autonomous okrugs, etc.
• With a confederation, each state has the right to withdraw their union treaty unilaterally. At federation such mechanism is not provided.
• The language issue in the confederation is immaterial - each subject speaks his own language or dialect. Communication between the two states is carried out in any language. At federation one language is determined, which is obligatory for studying by all subjects of the federation. Local languages and adverbs are of regional importance.
• Confederations are most often created to achieve short-term and medium-term goals, for example, the unification of states for defense purposes. The federations aim at unification in a single state outside a certain time period or other conditions.

Alternative sources of information

In online tests, it is often suggested to answer the question: determine what the federation is different from the confederation. "Dean" and other popular sites can help in preparing for exams in this and other disciplines.

For more thorough preparation, alternative sources of information should be sought: in libraries or on the Internet, to analyze political news from reliable media.