The Young League Forum

CONFEDERALISM       Confederal system of government is a system of government based on structural arrangement whereby component or federating units are stronger than the central government . Under this system, central government is weak compared to the power of the component regions. Each component unit has legal right to govern and develop its entity at its own pace.      Contemporarily, confederalism has been loosely used to refer to a union of states in which each member state retains their sovereign power: like the United Nations, African Union, European Union, Organization of American States, Arab League, etc.     The following are some of the characteristics of confederalism: weak centre, autonomous union, flexible constitution, right of secession and so forth.    

COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY      This term is used in Westminster (Parliamentary system of government) to refer to the accountability of all cabinet members if vote of no confidence is passed on them in parliament. In other words, it means that any decision or action or inaction taken by one cabinet member of Parliament will affect all members collectively. They are collectively responsible for any lawful or unlawful behaviour. In case of vote of no confidence, the entire cabinet members will resign and another election will be conducted.     The opposite of collective responsibility is “individual responsibility” which is used in presidential system of government.