confédérations

Confédérations, or confederations, are a form of political union in which several sovereign states join to pursue common goals while retaining their own sovereignty. A central authority exists, but its powers are delegated by the member states and typically depend on voluntary cooperation. The central government usually lacks independent revenue-raising power and can act only with the consent of the member states. By contrast, federations vest enduring authority in a central government that shares sovereignty with constituent units; unitary states concentrate power at the center.

Confederations are usually formed for limited purposes, such as defense, foreign policy, or trade regulation, and decisions by the central authority require agreement among members. They are often temporary and prone to dissolution if members disagree, since enforcement relies on states’ willingness to participate. Over time, many confederations evolved into federations or dissolved into independent states.

Historically notable confederations include the Articles of Confederation (1781–1789) of the original United States, which created a weak central government before the U.S. Constitution established a federal system; the German Confederation (1815–1866) linking numerous German states with limited central powers; and the Confederate States of America (1861–1865), a short-lived central government coordinating several secessionist states. The Swiss Confederation's early form predates its current federal structure. In contemporary discourse, some regional blocs are described as confederations or confederal unions, though many are better characterized as federations or international organizations with varying degrees of sovereignty.