What is the Difference Between Federation and Union

The main difference between federation and union is that federations tend to be larger in size than political unions.

A federation is a group of countries, regions, organizations, etc., that join together to form a larger organization or government. A political union is a political unit that consists of two or more separate units, such as states.

Key Areas Covered

1. What is a Federation 
     – Definition, Features
2. What is a Union
     – Definition, Features
3. Similarities Between Federation and Union
     – Outline of Common Features
4. Difference Between Federation and Union
     – Comparison of Key Differences

Key Terms

Federation, Union

What is a Federation

The basic definition of a federation is a group of countries, regions, organizations, etc., that join together to form a larger organization or government. In the context of politics, a federation or a federal state is a political entity made by partially self-governing provinces, states, or other regions under a central federal government. Generally, states or countries having large territories with many provinces and regions follow the concept of federation. Countries like Russia, Canada, the USA, China, and Australia are examples of federations.

Figure 1: Federal States (Green) and Unitary states (Blue)

In a federation, the sovereign power is formally divided between the central authority and other constituent regions. This division helps constitutional regions to retain control of their internal and external affairs. Moreover, this self-governance of the states and the division of power between the central government and states cannot be changed by a unilateral decision of either party. This structuring happens according to an accepted written constitution that takes into concern common interests, common aims, etc., to avoid and reduce differences among the states and to encourage them to stand for a common goal as one state. Moreover, all members of a federation should always respect the authority of the central government, especially in issues concerning defense, military, security, foreign policy, international relations and diplomacy, and economic matters.

What is a Union

A union simply refers to the action of joining together. In the context of politics, a union is a political unit that consists of two or more separate units, such as states. A political union is also known as a state union or a legislative union. Moreover, a union involves a common government, but no state has more power than the other. In a political union, the individual constituent entities may have devolution of powers, but they are subordinate to a central government. Furthermore, the outside world recognizes this union as a separate political entity. We can categorize unions into different classifications such as incorporating unions, federal unions, incorporating annexation, federative annexation, or mixed unions. In addition, there are also supranational and continental unions that promote integration between various nations; for example, the European Union, ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), etc.

Similarities Between Federation and Union

• Federations and unions are both political units.
• Both are made of a central government and a number of states.

Difference Between Federation and Union

Definition

A federation is a group of countries, regions, organizations, etc., that join together to form a larger organization or government. A political union is a political unit that consists of two or more separate units such as states.

Size

Federations tend to be larger in size than political unions.

Conclusion

In brief, a federation is a group of countries, regions, organizations, etc., that join together to form a larger organization or government. A political union is a political unit that consists of two or more separate units, such as states. The main difference between federation and union is that federations tend to be larger in size than political unions.

Reference:

1. “Federation.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 11 Aug. 2021.
2. “Political Union.” Feeling Europe.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Map of unitary and federal states” By Lokal_Profil (CC BY-SA 2.5) via Commons Wikimedia

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