A political principle of organization in which individual constituent states (e.g., federal states) have a certain degree of autonomy but are united into an overall state. Responsibilities are divided between the central state and the constituent states.
example
Der Föderalismus in Deutschland zeigt sich deutlich in der Zuständigkeit der Länder für die Bildungspolitik.
Federalism in Germany is clearly evident in the states' responsibility for education policy.
Usage tips
Word structure
The ending '-ismus' (-ism) in German often marks political, philosophical, or social systems and ideas. The stem 'Föderal-' is derived from the Latin word for 'union' or 'alliance'.
EXAMPLE
Der Föderalismus ist ein zentrales Organisationsprinzip des Staates.
Federalism is a central organizational principle of the state.
Word family
This word belongs to a family of political terms. The related adjective is 'föderal' (federal), and a related noun is 'die Föderation' (the federation/union).
EXAMPLE
Deutschland ist ein föderaler Staat.
Germany is a federal state.
Register and context
'Föderalismus' (federalism) is a technical term from politics and is mainly used in formal contexts such as news, political discussions, or lessons at school.
EXAMPLE
Im Geschichtsunterricht haben wir über den deutschen Föderalismus gesprochen.
In history class, we talked about German federalism.
Compare with
confusable
Föderalismus vs Bundesstaat
state / federal state
'der Bundesstaat' and 'der Föderalismus' both belong to the topic of the state and political organization. 'Bundesstaat' refers either to a federally organized state as a whole or to a constituent state within such a system. 'Föderalismus', by contrast, refers to the principle behind it: responsibilities and power are divided between the overall state and the constituent states. The words can be confused because they often appear in the same context. Put simply: a 'Bundesstaat' is a form of state or a constituent state, while 'Föderalismus' is the idea or system of division.
Föderalismus
Im Unterricht erklärt die Lehrerin, warum der Föderalismus den Bundesländern eigene Aufgaben gibt.
In class, the teacher explains why federalism gives the federal states their own responsibilities.
Bundesstaat
Australien ist ein Bundesstaat mit mehreren Teilstaaten.
Australia is a federal state with several constituent states.
