federaties

Federaties, or federations, are political entities in which multiple autonomous subnational units join under a central government while retaining limited sovereignty in defined domains. The resulting constitutional framework allocates powers to both levels, with core functions such as defense, monetary policy, and foreign relations typically reserved to the center, and areas like education, culture, and local administration left to the subunits.

Key features include a written constitution that delineates powers, a central legislature often with representation for subunits, and a system of intergovernmental relations and dispute resolution. Fiscal federalism—how taxes are collected and shared between levels—plays a central role, as does regional representation in national decision-making. The degree of autonomy can vary, and mechanisms exist to resolve conflicts between levels of government.

Federations vary in how powers are distributed. Some are symmetrical, giving subunits equal authority; others are asymmetrical, with subunits possessing different levels of autonomy. Examples of federations include the United States, Canada, Germany, Australia, India, Switzerland, and Brazil. Russia and some other nations display federal features while maintaining a strong central authority.

Federations are distinct from confederations, in which member states retain nearly full sovereignty and central institutions are weaker, and from unitary states, where most power is centralized. Throughout history, federations have emerged to manage large, diverse territories and populations by balancing regional autonomy with national unity.

In practice, the design of a federation affects political stability, regional development, and policy experimentation. Debates often focus on the distribution of powers, fiscal arrangements, and the adequacy of regional representation.