confederacy
n. countablen. a group of people, states, or organizations that join together for a common purpose. Usually, the members keep most of their own power while working together on specific goals.
n. a league or alliance of independent states or organizations joined for a common purpose. Typically involves a decentralized structure where the central authority is weaker than the constituent members.
The small nations formed a confederacy to protect their trade routes.
Before the central government was established, the region operated as a loose confederacy of independent tribes.
The historical success of the confederacy depended entirely on the voluntary cooperation of its member states, as the central council lacked the power to enforce its decrees.
Often used in historical or political contexts to describe a union less centralized than a federation.