Confederation
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[[Image:Frankfurter Fürstentag 1863 Abschlußphoto.jpg|thumb|400px|The monarchs of the member states of the German Confederation meet at Frankfurt in 1863.]]
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 (military)|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.<ref>Oxford English Dictionary</ref> 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 organization]]s, 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 union]]s.
The noun '''confederation''' <!-- not a [[verbal noun]] -->refers to the process of (or the event of) confederating; i.e., establishing a confederation (or by extension a federation). In [[Canada]], [[Canadian Confederation|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)
=== Historic confederations ===
Some have more the characteristics of a [[personal union]], but they are 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 [[government]]s, [[armies]], [[Treasury|treasuries]], [[law]]s, [[territory (country subdivision)|territories]] with [[border]]s, [[citizenship]]s; common [[monarch]] ([[Grand Duke]] of Lithuania and [[King of Poland]]), [[parliament]] ([[Sejm#Sejm of the Kingdom of Poland and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth|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)
* [[Aro Confederacy]], (1690 -1902), in what is now [[Nigeria]], [[Cameroon]] and [[Equatorial Guinea]]
* [[Union of African States]] (1961–1963, [[Mali]]+[[Ghana]]+[[Guinea]])
* [[Sénégambia Confederation|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)
* [[State Union of Serbia and Montenegro|Serbia and Montenegro]] (2003–2006)
* [[United Arab Republic]] (confederation de-facto; 1958–1961, [[Egypt]]+[[Syria]]; 1963, [[Egypt]]+[[Syria]]+[[Iraq]])
* [[Arab Federation of Iraq and Jordan|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)
* [[Union between Sweden and Norway|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
=== Fictional confederations ===
* [[Confederacy of Independent Systems]] ([[Star Wars]])
* [[Terran Confederation]] ([[Wing Commander (computer game)|Wing Commander]])
* [[Terran Confederacy]] ([[StarCraft]])
* [[Capellan Confederation]] ([[Battletech]])
* Confederation of Planet Omega (animated series [[Once Upon a Time... Space]])
== See also ==
* [[Confederacy]]
* [[List of forms of government]]
* [[Multi-speed Europe]]
* [[Commonwealth]]
* "[[Federal Europe]]"
== References ==
{{reflist}}
== Sources and external links ==
{{Wiktionary}}
* [http://www2.marianopolis.edu/quebechistory/federal/fathers.htm The Fathers of Confederation]
* [http://www.musee-mccord.qc.ca/en/keys/webtours/GE_P1_2_EN.html Confederation: The Creation of Canada] — Illustrated Historical Essay
* [http://www.worldstatesmen.org/South_Africa.html WorldStatesmen- here South Africa]
{{Supranationalism/World government topics}}
[[Category:Constitutional state types]]
[[Category:Forms of government]]
[[Category:Federalism]]
[[Category:political systems]]
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[[fr:Confédération (organisation politique)]]
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