fœderalism

Noun

federalism (countable and uncountable, plural federalisms)

1. A 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. The belief that such a system is superior to other forms of government.

   Synonyms:

   regionalism, provincialism, statism

3. Covenantalism.