In which system of government are all the component units sovereign?

Step 1: Analyze the question The question asks which system of government has component units that are sovereign. Sovereignty means supreme, independent authority over a territory and its people.

Step 2: Explain the concepts

• Confederal system: A loose union of independent, sovereign states that come together for limited, specific purposes such as defence or trade. The central body is weak and depends on the member states, which keep their sovereignty. Examples: the Commonwealth of Independent States, the early United States under the Articles of Confederation, and the African Union (loosely).
• Federal system: Power is constitutionally shared between the central government and the component units (states or regions). The component units are autonomous in their spheres but are not sovereign. Sovereignty belongs to the federal government. Example: the Nigerian states, which cannot secede or conduct independent foreign policy.
• Monarchical: A system where a king or queen is head of state. It describes the type of head of state, not how power is distributed among units.
• Republican: A system where the head of state is elected, not hereditary. It also does not describe how power is divided among units.

Step 3: Solve by elimination

• C and D describe the nature of the head of state, not the relationship between the central government and component units, so they are out.
• B is wrong because federal units share power but are not sovereign.
• A fits: in a confederation, the member states remain sovereign.

Step 4: Answer The correct option is **A.

Exam tip: Remember the pattern with "C":

• Confederation = Component units hold Control (sovereignty).
• Federation = power is Formally shared, but the Federal centre holds sovereignty.
• Unitary = all power rests with the centre.