Governments can be described in different ways. Some describe who is in charge—like a king, dictator, or elected leaders. Another way to describe a government is by looking at how it divides power between national and local levels. These systems of power-sharing are usually grouped into three types: unitary, federal, and confederate.

Each system handles the relationship between the central government and smaller regional or state governments differently. The United States has used more than one of these systems in its history.

       

Unitary Systems

In a unitary system, the central (national) government holds most of the power. It makes the major decisions and controls how much power local governments are allowed to have. Local governments can only do what the central government lets them do.

Unitary systems can be more efficient because the laws and decisions are made in one place. It’s easier to keep rules the same across the whole country. However, this system may not meet the needs of all regions equally, especially in large or diverse countries.

Countries like France and Japan use unitary systems today.

Confederate Systems

In a confederate system, the power is mostly held by the states or regional governments. The central government is weak and only has the power that the states agree to give it.

This gives states or regions more control over their own laws and decisions. However, it can be hard for the country to act together, especially in times of crisis. The national government may not be able to collect taxes, raise an army, or make decisions that all states must follow.

The United States had a confederate system after the Revolutionary War under the Articles of Confederation. Each state acted almost like its own country. The central government could not raise money or solve problems between the states. This led to many difficulties.

Federal Systems

In a federal system, power is shared between the national government and the state governments. Both levels of government have their own responsibilities, and their powers are usually written in a constitution.

For example, in the United States today, the federal government controls national defense and money, while state governments run schools and local roads. Both levels can make laws, collect taxes, and govern their own areas.

The United States changed to a federal system when it created the U.S. Constitution. After the problems with the confederate system, leaders believed the country needed a stronger central government—but still wanted states to have power too.

Comparing the Systems

Each system divides power in a different way:

• A unitary system gives most power to the central government.
• A confederate system gives most power to the states or regions.
• A federal system shares power between both levels.

The United States shifted from a confederate system to a federal one to solve the problems caused by a weak central government. Today, the U.S. continues to use the federal system to balance national unity with local control.

Source: Strengths and Weaknesses of Different Government Systems
Exploros, Inc