federativas

Federativas is a feminine plural adjective used in political science to describe the entities that compose a federation or the federative character of a state. The term is commonly found in the expression “entidades federativas,” referring to the subnational units that share sovereignty with a central government.

In a federation, sovereignty is constitutionally divided between the central authority and the federative units. Federative units typically have a defined degree of autonomy, including their own executive and legislative organs, and sometimes a judiciary. They can legislate on competences assigned by the constitution, levy certain taxes, and manage areas such as education, health, public safety, and regional infrastructure. The precise allocation of powers varies by country and constitution.

The relationship between levels of government in federations is usually governed by a constitutional framework, which also provides mechanisms for intergovernmental cooperation, dispute settlement, and fiscal arrangements. Fiscal relations often include transfers from the central government, shared revenues, and rules for borrowing and budgeting to address regional disparities.

The concept of federativas is central to federalism and contrasts with unitary states, where subnational divisions lack constitutional sovereignty and deriving authority is generally centralized. In practice, the exact composition and powers of federative entities differ across federations; for example, some countries refer to their federative units as states, provinces, or regions, with varying degrees of autonomy and administrative structure.