Federalism

Syllable breakdown

Dictionary meaning

A system of government in which power is constitutionally divided between a central national authority and regional or state governments, each retaining sovereignty in specific areas.

Examples

• Federalism allows states to experiment with different policy approaches.
• Debates about federalism often centre on the appropriate balance between central and local authority.

Both American and British English use the same pronunciation; however, federalism is a more prominent concept in American political discourse.

Synonyms: federal system, divided sovereignty