Social Science (087) — AI-generated practice question

Comparison of 'Coming Together' and 'Holding Together' Federations:

(i) How and Why Formed:
In 'coming together' federations, independent states voluntarily unite to form a larger unit, pooling their sovereignty to increase security while retaining identity. In 'holding together' federations, a large country decides to divide its powers between the national government and constituent states, usually to accommodate regional diversity.

(ii) Power of Central Government vs. Constituent Units:
In 'coming together' federations, constituent states are strong vis-à-vis the federal government. In 'holding together' federations, the Central Government tends to be more powerful compared to the states.

(iii) Equal or Unequal Powers Among Constituent Units:
In 'coming together' federations, all constituent states usually have equal powers. In 'holding together' federations, constituent units often have unequal powers; some units are granted special powers.

Examples: USA — 'coming together'; India — 'holding together'.

Source: What is federalism?, Chapter 2

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• The textbook gives this comparison explicitly — examiners expect the exact three points covered with both types contrasted side by side.
• Always name the examples: USA/Switzerland/Australia for 'coming together'; India/Spain/Belgium for 'holding together'. One example each is sufficient.
• The fill-in-the-blank exercise (Q6, Chapter 2 exercises) reinforces this directly — use the same language as the textbook for full marks.