The Distribution of Power in Governments

The Distribution of Power in
Governments Today

Lesson 2.3

Intro:

●In almost all nation-states, government power is exercised at a minimum
of two levels: national and regional.

●How power is distributed between these two levels depends on which
system of government a country has:

○unitary, federal, or confederal.

Multiple Choice

Unitary, Federal, and Confederation are all terms that describes how countries_________

• Build their economies

• Distribute Power

• Distribute wealth

Unitary System

●Constitution concentrates power in the national, or central, government.

○ regional governments exercise only those powers given to them by the national
government.

○MOST COMMON

○Ex’s: Great Britain and Japan

●ADVANTAGES?

Multiple Choice

Central government holds all the power

• Confederation

• Unitary

• Federal

• Oligarchy

Federal System

●Constitution divides power between the national government and the
regional government

●A federal system of government is most likely to be adopted in large
countries with diverse populations.

○Ex’s: India and US

●ADVANTAGES?

Multiple Choice

Power is shared by the central and regional government.

• Unitary

• Federal

• Democracy

• Confederation

Confederal System

●Power resides in the regions, which are independent states.

●Regions grant only as much power to the national government as needed
to maintain security and to coordinate activities among the regions.

●No nation-state is organized as a confederation today.

●ADVANTAGES?

Multiple Choice

Rare form of government. Weak national government. Different laws in each state or territory Which systems is being described?

• Confederation

• Federal

• Unitary

Multiple Choice

Which form of power distribution would be WORST for a country with a large population?

• Unitary

• Confederal

• Federal

• Autocracy