Different Models of Union

The Russian Federation

Commonwealth Realms

European Union

Swiss Confederation

United States

United Kingdom

Union of Burma/Myanmar

The Russian Federation

• The Russian Federation is the official name of Russia. It is a federation of 86 republics, provinces, territories, and districts. The government in Moscow controls all of these entities. 

• The Russian Federation is the largest country in the world, covering 6.6 million square miles. It stretches across 11 time zones and is 6,000 miles in length. The population is around 141.7 million, with over 100 ethnic groups. 

• The Russian Federation has a highly centralized, authoritarian political system. The president is the executive head of state and the supreme commander-in-chief of the Russian Armed Forces. The bicameral Federal Assembly has a directly elected lower house and an appointed upper house. 

• The Russian Federation is made up of 89 constituent units, which are divided into six categories: 

• Republics, Territories, Regions, Autonomous areas, Autonomous region, Federal cities. 

Commonwealth Realms

Commonwealth realms are sovereign states that are part of the Commonwealth of Nations. They have the British monarch as their head of state. The monarch's role is mostly symbolic, as the countries have their own governments. 

As of 2023, there are 15 Commonwealth realms: 

1. Antigua and Barbuda

2. Australia

3. The Bahamas

4. Barbados

5. Belize

6. Canada

7. Grenada

8. Jamaica

9. New Zealand

10. Papua New Guinea

11. Saint Kitts and Nevis

12. Saint Lucia

13. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

14. The Solomon Islands

15. Tuvalu

Commonwealth realms include the United Kingdom and many of its former colonies or territories. They are unique in the history of constitutional law because of their shared Sovereign, voluntary nature, and geographical spread. 

 [T]he nations were considered "equal in status ... though united by a common allegiance to the Crown".

[KI’s Commentary: Future of Burma can be designed so that sovereign nations are equal in status though united by a common allegiance to the Union for defense and economic cooperation]

European Union

The European Union (EU) is a political and economic union of 27 European countries. The EU was created in 1993 to oversee the economic and political integration of these countries. The EU has a total area of 1.6 square miles and an estimated population of over 448 million. 

The EU promotes democratic values and is a powerful trade bloc. Some benefits of EU membership include: 

• Growing internal market and domestic demand

• Free movement of labor, goods, services, and capital

• Free access to 450 million consumers

The EU's capital is Brussels. Other cities that host major EU institutions include: 

• Luxembourg: Judicial and second seats

• Strasbourg: Parliament's main seat

The EU has one of the world's worst environmental footprints per capita. 

Switzerland

Switzerland's official name is Swiss Confederation, or Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft in German. Switzerland is one of the oldest nations in Europe.

Switzerland is a federal state with three levels of governance: 

• Confederation: The central state

• Cantons: The 26 federal states

• Communes: The 2,352 communes

Each level has its own legislature and executive. The Federal Assembly (Parliament) has two chambers that debate constitutional amendments and federal legislation. 

Switzerland has been a federal state since 1848. The country's federalism is a bottom-up system where the cantons have a lot of autonomy. The Federal Constitution limits their sovereignty. 

United states 

The United States has a federalist system of government. This system is based on the Constitution, which divides power between the federal government and the state governments. The Constitution gives certain powers to the federal government, while other powers are reserved for the states. 

The federalist system has been a point of contention since the Articles of Confederation. Since the country's founding, power has shifted from the states to the national government. 

 The United States federal system has four components: 

• State sovereignty

• Constitutional limitations on state power

• Federal government powers

• Relationship between the federal government and the states

The federal government is made up of three branches: Legislative, Executive, Judicial. 

The Constitution gives the following powers to the federal government: Congress, President, Federal courts. 

The 10th Amendment limits the powers of the federal government. It states that powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution are reserved for the states or the people. 

The federal government's purpose is to: 

• Establish justice

• Ensure domestic tranquility

• Provide for the common defense

• Promote the general welfare

• Secure the blessings of liberty

Some functions of the federal government include: 

• Making money

• Declaring war

• Managing foreign relations

• Overseeing trade between states and other countries

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom (UK) is a unitary state with asymmetric decentralization. The UK is made up of four countries: England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. These countries have different economies, histories, and nationalities. 

The UK has a central UK parliament and a prime minister who leads the government. The UK also has devolved governments in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. These devolved governments operate under authority delegated by the UK Parliament. The devolved governments include: 

• Scottish Government

• Welsh Government

• Northern Ireland Executive

The UK has some federal features. The devolved territories are similar to the "states" of a federal constitution. The UK has no formal written constitution or constitutional division of power. 

The UK's government is led by the Prime Minister and the Head of State is the King. The Prime Minister is responsible for all policy and decisions. The Prime Minister also appoints members of the government and oversees the operation of the Civil Service and government agencies. 

Union of Burma/Myanmar

Myanmar, also known as Burma, has a unitary assembly-independent republic. The country's political system has gone through many changes since it gained independence from British colonial rule in 1948: 

• 1948–1962: The Union of Burma began as a parliamentary democracy.

• 1962–1974: Direct military rule.

• 1974–1988: Constitutional dictatorship. The country was ruled as a one-party state with the Burma Socialist Programme Party (BSPP) as the only legal political party.

• 2011: The military junta was dissolved and a civilian government was installed.

• 2021: The military took over the government in a coup.

The country's 2008 constitution establishes it as a unitary assembly-independent republic. The president is elected by parliament and is responsible for: 

• Appointing the cabinet

• Nominating judges

• Leading the armed forces

• Overseeing government tasks

The Pyidaungsu Hluttaw is the country's bicameral parliament. It has 664 members, including: 

• House of Representatives: 440 seats

• House of Nationalities: 224 seats