Confederation
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
A confederation is an association of sovereign states, 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[1].
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The Disputed Term
The term "confederation" is a frequently disputed one; loose confederations might be similar to international organizations, while tight confederations might be similar to federations. Because laws in every confederation are the same as every state in general relationships between different subjects of confederation are different, and therefore classification may be difficult; different powers are vested to central government and different powers are kept by member states in different confederations. In a non-political context the term is used to describe a type of organization which consolidates authority from other semi-autonomous bodies. Examples would include sports confederations or confederations of Pan-European trade unions.
List of entities considered to be confederations
Note that historical confederations, especially those that predate the 20th century, may not fit the current definition of a confederation and may show some qualities that are today recognized as those of a federation.
- Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (1569–1795) (different governments, armies, treasuries, laws, territories with borders, citizenships; common monarch (Grand Duke of Lithuania and King of Poland), parliament (Seimas,Sejm) and currency)
- Switzerland (1291–1848)
- New England Confederation (1643-1684)
- United States of America under the Articles of Confederation (1781–1789)
- Germany (1806–1871)
- Confederate States of America, (1861–1865)
- Union of African States (1961-1963)
- Senegambia (1982–1989)
- Commonwealth of Independent States
- Serbia and Montenegro
- European Union (foreign affairs and many other things left to states, some things centrally controlled)
Confederation vs. federation
Sometimes confederation is erroneously used in the place of federation. Some nations which started out as confederations retained the word in their titles after officially becoming federations, such as Switzerland. The United States of America was at first a confederation before becoming a federation with the ratification of the current US constitution in 1789. Moreover, the US Civil War was a byproduct of the formation of the Confederate States of America, US states allied in their desire to form a different political union and retain slavery.
Confederation as an event
As a verbal noun, confederation refers to the process of (or the event of) confederating; i.e., establishing a federation or confederation. In Canada – a relatively decentralised federation – "Confederation" generally refers to the initial act of union for the provinces of British North America in 1867, and subsequent incorporation of other provinces and territories.
Confederation day
Confederation Day or Federation Day is frequently a holiday in federations or confederations, equivalent to the United States' Independence Day for any entity that achieved statehood as such. This is often renamed or colloquially celebrated under a different name (e.g. in Canada Confederation Day (July 1st) was renamed Dominion Day, and later was renamed Canada Day).
See also
References
- ^ Oxford English Dictionary
External links
- Confederation: The Creation of Canada — Illustrated Historical Essay
