FEDERALISM
federalism
(noun) the idea of a federal organization of more or less self-governing units
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology
Noun
federalism (countable and uncountable, plural federalisms)
A system of national government in which power is divided between a central authority and a number of regions with delimited self-governing authority.
Advocacy of such a system.
(theology) Covenantalism.
Source: Wiktionary
Fed"er*al*ism, n. Etym: [Cf. F. fédéralisme.]
Definition: the principles of Federalists or of federal union.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition