confederacy
The term confederation ( Latin confoederatio “alliance”, from foedus , -eris , “the federation”) refers to a contractual union of independent units that appear together externally, but retain their sovereignty . It is generally associated with a higher degree of independence of the sub-units than is the case with a federation . As a result, the concept of a confederation has to be clearly distinguished from that of the federal state , since it cannot allocate its responsibilities to itself from its own power ( competence-competence ). The confederation is therefore more of an umbrella organization of several states or institutions .
Nevertheless, the term “confederation” is sometimes used for the federal state for traditional reasons, for example in Switzerland .
Association of States
The term confederation is often used in relation to intergovernmental politics, but it is also used as an umbrella term for various forms of cooperation. Examples:
- Republic of the Seven United Netherlands (1581–1795)
- Confederation of Ireland (1642–1649)
- Rhine Confederation (1806-1813)
- North German Confederation (1866; almost a year until the 1867 constitution, which made it a federal state )
- Central American Confederation (1823–1838)
- Confederation of Senegambia (1982–1989)
The Confederate States of America (1861–1865) are a special case . “Confederation” was included in the name, but in comparison with the Federation of the Northern States , the United States , this did not result in greater autonomy for the member states . The constitution was similar to that of the Union.
The Swiss Confederation also describes itself as a confederation. In Latin, her name is Confoederatio Helvetica ( nationality symbol CH). However, the constitutional norm corresponds to that of a federal state (federation).
Monarchies linked by personal union are not regarded as confederations .
Union of political groups
In Poland-Lithuania (1569–1795) a confederation designated an alliance of nobles, mostly for the purpose of an uprising against the ruler .
Examples in other areas
- Confederations (continental associations) of the world football association FIFA
- Confederation of Protestant Churches in Lower Saxony
- Confederation of Independent Systems (KUS) in Star Wars (as part of the fictional heroic epic)
- Anarcho-syndicalist trade union confederations in Spain ( Confederación Nacional del Trabajo ) and France ( Confédération nationale du travail )
- Tribal confederation among equestrian peoples
See also
literature
- Theodor Schweisfurth : international law. Mohr Siebeck, Tübingen 2006, p. 36 f.
