DISTRIBUTION OF
POWER
 2011 Clairmont Press
Distribution of Power


Governments can be classified based upon how
they distribute power between central and local
governments.
There are three ways:
 Unitary
 Confederation
 Federal
Unitary
Central government has almost all of the
power
 Local governments are under control of
the central government
 Examples: absolute monarchy – where a
king and his advisors make all the
decisions

Unitary
Power is held by the central government
Local
Government
Local
Government
Central
Government
Local
Government
Local
Government
Confederation
•
•
•
Local governments hold all of the power
Central government depends on the local
governments for its existence; the central
government only has as much power as
the local government is willing to give it
Example: United Nations
Confederation
Power is held by the local governments
Local
Government
Local
Government
Central
Government
Local
Government
Local
Government
Federal
Power is shared between the national
government and local governments.
 The states have some powers that the
national government does not have,
and the national government has some
powers that the state governments do
not have.

Federal
Power is shared between the national
government and local governments.
Local
Government
Local
Government
National
Government
Local
Government
Local
Government