Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
A federal system is a form of government where power is divided between a central authority and regional or state governments. Each level of government has its own set of powers and responsibilities.
In contrast to a federal system, a unitary system is a form of government where power is concentrated in a central authority. The central government holds all the decision-making power.
Shared Governance: Shared governance refers to a system where power and decision-making are shared between different levels or branches of government. It can be seen as an intermediate model between federal and unitary systems.
Devolution is the transfer of certain powers from a central authority to regional or local governments within a country. It allows for more localized decision-making while still maintaining an overall centralized structure.