államszövetségekre

An államszövetség, or confederation, is a union of sovereign states that are united by a common purpose or treaty. In such a system, the member states retain their ultimate sovereignty and delegate only specific, limited powers to a central governing body. This central authority typically has little direct power over individual citizens and instead acts through the governments of the constituent states. Decisions within the confederation are often made by consensus or unanimous agreement among the member states.

Historically, confederations have been formed for purposes such as mutual defense, economic cooperation, or to manage shared resources. Examples include the United States under the Articles of Confederation before the adoption of the Constitution, and Switzerland in its early history. The balance of power in a confederation strongly favors the member states, and the central government's authority is derived from the consent of these states. If a member state chooses to withdraw, it generally can do so without the consent of the other members.

The fundamental characteristic distinguishing a confederation from a federation is the location of ultimate sovereignty. In a federation, sovereignty is divided between the central government and the regional governments, with the central government possessing significant independent powers. In contrast, in a confederation, sovereignty rests solely with the member states, and the central body exists only at their sufferance. This makes confederations generally less stable and more prone to dissolution than federations.