Question

The federal form of government was first established in the _________.
A. United States of America
B. India
C. Belgium
D. Sri Lanka

Answer 1

Hint: Federal system refers to an institutional mechanism to accommodate two sets of politics; one at the national level and the other at the regional level.

Complete Step by Step Answer: In a federal system, the powers of the government are divided between the governments of units and the central government by the Constitution. Each government works under its own sphere and exercises only those powers which have been given to it by the constitution. If any government tries to by-pass its powers and interfere in other’s sphere, the Supreme Court, as the prosecutor of the Constitution can check it.
The United States of America is always considered to be a great example of ‘coming together’ federation. In a federal form of government, there is a streamlined allocation of responsibilities between the state governments and the central governments. Second, is the mechanism that fosters cooperation among the state governments in addressing national concerns. Thirdly, the structure of the state government reflects a collective approach to governance.
Now, let us examine the options
Option A – The United States of America is the country where the federal government was first established. It was established in 1789.
Option B – India is a democratic country and it has a quasi-federal form of government which is termed as ‘union’ or ‘central’ government.
Option C – Belgium is a federal state made up of regions and communities. On October 4, 1830, Belgium established itself a federal country. Hence, this option is incorrect.
Option D – Although federalism has been advocated as a means of resolving the ethnic issues in Sri Lanka but the current constitution of the country stipulates itself as a unitary and republic state which is governed by a semi-presidential system.
Hence, based on the above-mentioned points, the correct answer is option is (A).

Note: The government structure in the United States is not centralized and is further divided into a federal, state, and local governments. There are 50 states within the U.S. and each state has its own constitution, laws and state flags.