federalism

plural federalisms · alternative obsolete fœderalism

1. countableuncountableA system of national government in which power is divided between a central authority and a number of regions with delimited self-governing authority.

   Where consociationalism and federalism overlay one another, moreover, the continuity of the latter depends on the stability of consociationalism.

   1995, Hudson Meadwell, “8: Quebec Independence and Secession in the Developed West”, in Sukumar Periwal, editor, Notions of Nationalism, page 140

2. countableuncountableThe belief that such a system is superior to other forms of government.

   Synonyms: regionalism, provincialism, statism

3. countableuncountablelifestyleCovenantalism.