The key difference between a confederation and a federation lies in how power is distributed between the central government and the constituent political units (like states or provinces).

Confederation

• Definition: A union of sovereign states or regions that delegate limited powers to a central authority.

• Power Structure: The member states retain most of the power and sovereignty. The central government is typically weak and handles only specific tasks (like defense or foreign policy).

• Examples:

  • The Articles of Confederation in early U.S. history.

  • The Confederate States of America during the American Civil War.

  • Modern European Union (to some extent, though it's not a full confederation).

Federation

• Definition: A political system in which sovereignty is constitutionally divided between a central government and constituent units.

• Power Structure: Both the central government and the subnational entities (states/provinces) share power, and both levels are sovereign in their own areas.

• Examples:

  • United States of America

  • Germany

  • India

  • Australia

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