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Let's talk about systems of government.

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Nations use governments in order to organize decision-making power.

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But what happens when there are political subunits within a nation, such as states?

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That's where having a system comes in handy.

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A system of government helps multiple states within a nation agree on how to manage the state's various laws and leaders.

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Some systems prefer the central government to hold more power, some prefer to give the states more power, and some share the power equally.

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A unitary government is where one central government in a nation makes decisions that

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affect all the states that make up that nation. Each state has a smaller government with limited

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powers and functions, which are defined by the central government. A confederation is a group

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of states that are loosely aligned as allies. A confederation's central government is weak

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and only has certain powers that the states agree to give it. Confederations are usually

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formed to meet certain needs such as defense or currency. States can make and maintain their own

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laws and leaders, but also work together if needed to defend their property and resources.

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A federation is when states share power and function with a powerful central government.

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The central government cannot take power from the states, but it can make laws to determine

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how the states govern. Finally, a parliamentary government is where the legislative branch

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of the central government has authority over the executive branch. Members of the legislature

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representing the different states choose a leader or prime minister who is responsible for carrying

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out the decisions of the legislative branch. A prime minister is like a president, except a

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president is elected by the people and answers to the voters, not to a legislature. Whether unitary,

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confederate, federal, or parliamentary, the system of government defines how states work together

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with national leadership to achieve common goals.