Confederation Totally Explained

Everything about Confederation totally explained

A confederation is a group of empowered states or communities, usually created by treaty but often later adopting a common constitution. Confederations tend to be established for dealing with critical issues, such as defense, foreign affairs, foreign trade, and a common currency, with the central government being required to provide support for all members. A confederation, in modern political terms, is usually limited to a permanent union of sovereign states for common action in relation to other states. The main differences with a federation are: (1) No real direct powers: many confederal decisions are externalised by member-state legislation. (2) Decisions on day-to-day-matters are not taken by simple majority but by special majorities or even by consensus or unanimity (veto for every member). (3) Changes of the constitution, usually a treaty, require unanimity.
   The nature of the relationship between the entities constituting a confederation varies considerably. Likewise, the relationship between the member states and the central government, and the distribution of powers among them, is highly variable. Some looser confederations are similar to international organizations, while tighter confederations may resemble federations.
   In a non-political context, confederation is used to describe a type of organization which consolidates authority from other semi-autonomous bodies. Examples include sports confederations or confederations of Pan-European trades unions.
   The noun confederation refers to the process of (or the event of) confederating; for example, establishing a confederation (or by extension a federation). In Canada, Confederation generally refers to the British North America Act, 1867 which initially united four colonies of British North America (Province of Upper Canada, Province of Lower Canada, Province of New Brunswick and Province of Nova Scotia), and to the subsequent incorporation of other colonies and territories. Despite this use of the word "confederation", Canada is a federal state.

List of entities considered to be confederations

Note that historical confederations, especially those predating the 20th century, may not fit the current definition of a confederation, may be proclaimed as a federation but be confederal, and may not show any qualities that are today recognized as those of a federation.

Today

Iroquois Confederacy (1090–present)
The European Union isn't a confederation de jure but some academic observers conclude that de facto it's one because it has so many of the characteristics of a confederation.

Historic confederations

Some have more the characteristics of a personal union, but they're still listed here because of their own self-styling.

Crown of Aragon (1137–1716)

Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (confederated personal union; 1447–1492, 1501–1569, (different governments, armies, treasuries, laws, territories with borders, citizenships; common monarch (Grand Duke of Lithuania and King of Poland), parliament (Sejm) and currency)

Switzerland (1291–1848), officially the Swiss Confederation

Republic of the Seven United Provinces of the Netherlands (1581-1795)

Confederate Ireland (1641-1649)

New England Confederation (1643–1684)

United States of America under the Articles of Confederation (1781–1789)

Confederate States of America, (1861–1865)

Union of African States (1961–1963, Mali+Ghana+Guinea)

Senegambia (1982–1989, Senegal+Gambia)

Hanseatic League

United Provinces of New Granada (1810–1816 in what is now Colombia)

Powhatan Confederacy

Carlist States in Spain (1872–1876)

Serbia and Montenegro (2003–2006)

United Arab Republic (confederation de-facto; 1958–1961, Egypt+Syria; 1963, Egypt+Syria+Iraq)

Arab Federation (confederation de-facto; 1958, (Iraq+Jordan)

Federation of Arab Republics (confederation de-facto; 1972, Egypt+Syria+Libya)

Arab Islamic Republic (confederation de-facto; 1974, Libya+Tunisia)

Peru-Bolivian Confederation (1836–1839)

Kalmar Union (confederated personal union; 1397–1523, Denmark+Sweden+Norway)

Denmark-Norway (confederated personal union; 1536–1814)

Sweden-Norway (confederated personal union; 1814–1905)

Confederation of Central America (1842–1844, El Salvador+Guatemala+Honduras+Nicaragua)

Confederation of the Equator (1824) - located in Northeast Brazil.

Pre-united Germany after the Holy Roman Empire

Confederation of the Rhine (1806–1813) had no head of state nor a government
German Confederation (1815–1866)
North German Confederation (1866–1871) Became the German Empire in 1871

Further Information

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