Confederation of States

A Confederation of States is a union where individual states or regions retain most of their independence and authority, pooling only specific powers voluntarily delegated to a central government. Unlike a federal system, where authority is shared across levels, a confederation emphasizes state sovereignty, with the central government having limited power to coordinate among members. Examples include early Switzerland and the Confederate States of America during the Civil War. Such arrangements work best when states want to cooperate on certain issues but prefer to maintain their own governance and decision-making independence.