Difference between Central Government and State Government

The main difference between central government and state government is that the central government is defined as the political authority that governs an entire country or nation while the state government is defined as a unit of government that is specific to a state.

Central government versus state government

The central government is also known as the federal government or union government, and it is the government of the entire nation or country. On the other hand, state government is specifically the government of the states. The central government manages foreign affairs, while the government manages public health and safety. The central government has more power, and has the authority to delegate this power or not; On the other hand, the state government has the hierarchy of power systems from the state level to the provincial level.

The central government has the authority to control and its responsibilities have to do with national security and international diplomacy. The duties of the state government are related to progress, development, law and order. The power and authority of the central government depend on centralization; on the other hand, the countries with state government are having a decentralization of power. A central government regulates trade between states and with other countries, while the state government oversees trade within state borders.

Comparison chart

What is the Central Government?

The central government is defined as the political authority that governs an entire country or nation. It is also known as the national or federal government. In central government, power is shared between the central government and the state governments. The central government shares each year’s budget revenue with the state government or provinces.

The basic structure of the central government is divided into three branches, and power is divided into these branches. The first is the legislative power. It is a two-chambered Congress that is made up of a Senate and the House of Representatives. This branch is responsible for making federal laws, and these laws apply to the entire nation. The second is the executive branch and its executive director is the president. The president enforces federal laws with the help of a cabinet, federal departments, and agencies. The third is the judicial power that has the federal courts. You must interpret the laws by listening to arguments about them.

Central government functions

• Assess and collect taxes
• Print money and regulate its value, punish counterfeiters
• Regulate interstate between states and foreign trade
• Declare war, raise and maintain armed forces
• manage foreign affairs

What is the State Government?

State government is defined as a unit of government that is specific to a state. It makes laws for a state and has a duty to enforce them. It has certain powers and responsibilities reserved in relation to its area. Modern nations like the United States and Australia have state governments. The state government is responsible for managing the local needs of a particular state or region. In the United States, there are 50 states, each with a state government.

The state government takes responsibility in a state for things such as birth certificates, death certificates, driver’s license, vehicle registration, etc. A state government also has a state constitution, which is a document that establishes the governmental structure. It tells the political processes and the limitations in the use of power by a state. The state government structure has three branches assigned with various tasks. These powers are the executive branch, the legislative branch and the judicial branch.

State government functions

• Regulates trade within state borders
• Establish regulations for local corporations
• Manage the needs of local governments.
• Regulates the educational system of a state
• Make licensing rules for state professionals.
• Manage public health and safety

Key differences

1. The central government is the government of the entire country, while the state government is the government of a specific state.
2. The central government is defined as the political authority that governs an entire country or nation; rather, state government is defined as a unit of government specific to a state.
3. A central government regulates trade between states and with other countries; on the other hand, a state government oversees trade within state borders.
4. The central government manages foreign relations; rather, the state government manages public health and safety.
5. The power and authority of the central government depend on centralization; On the other hand, the power and authority of countries with state governments are decentralized.
6. The central government has more power, and has the authority to delegate this power or not; on the contrary, the state government has the hierarchy of the power system from the state level to the provincial level.
7. The central government has the authority to control and its responsibilities relate to national security and international diplomacy; on the other hand, the duties of the state government are related to progress, development, law and order.

Final Thought

The central government and the state governments are the two political authorities that differ from each other. The difference between these governments is based on their use of power, authority, duties, administration and the like.