Federal Government
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A Federal Government is a government system that exercises central authority (over federated units while sharing sovereign powers).
- AKA: National Government, Central Government, Union Government.
- Context:
- It can (typically) have a Federal Constitution, defining power distribution (between federal and state levels).
- It can (typically) have a Federal Executive, with administrative power (implementing national policy).
- It can (typically) have a Federal Legislature, with law-making power (for federal jurisdiction).
- It can (typically) have a Federal Judiciary, with judicial review (over constitutional matters).
- It can (typically) have Federal Agencies, implementing national programs.
- It can (often) manage Interstate Commerce, through regulatory powers.
- It can (often) conduct Foreign Relations, through diplomatic powers.
- It can (often) control National Defense, through military forces.
- It can (often) operate Federal Tax Systems, through fiscal powers.
- ...
- It can range from being a Strong Federal Government to being a Weak Federal Government, depending on its constitutional powers.
- It can range from being a Presidential System to being a Parliamentary System, depending on its executive structure.
- It can range from being a Centralized Federation to being a Decentralized Federation, depending on its power distribution.
- ...
- Example(s):
- Contemporary Federal Governments, such as:
- Historical Federal Governments, such as:
- ...
- Counter-Example(s):
- Unitary Governments lacking federal divisions
- State Governments without national authority
- Confederate Governments lacking central power
- Provincial Administrations under central control
- See: Federal System, Federal Republic, Division of Powers, Federal Constitution, Federal Law, Interstate Relations.