Switzerland (1848), Canada (1867), Australia (1901), Austria (1920), and Germany (1949) as some of the oldest standing examples. Other federal political systems include a variety of distinctions such as constitutionally decentralized unions, confederations, federacies, associated statehoods, leagues and joint functional authorities. For example the United States is a federation of 50 states plus 2 federacies, 3 associated states, 3 local home-rule territories and over 130 Native American domestic dependent nations. At the same time, the U.S. is involved in broader, international leagues guided by a common secretariat, for example the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. The American system comes into being originally as a confederation. Finding that unsuitable to meet their needs, the colonies concede more of their powers to enter into a federation, albeit a decentralized one. By consolidating their capital, the United States of America is able to achieve common goals and efficiencies that would not have otherwise been possible. Jurisdictions that are better served with economies of scale are placed under federal administration. National defense is one such example. While no one state would be able to unilaterally safeguard its territory, the combined funding of the United States military has made it the most powerful and formidable force in the world. At the same time as federations are able to procure cost-savings by merging certain dominions at the national level, they are able to yield enough power to constituent governments to entice regions to enter into and remain in the federation. In Canada, concessions are given to vast and varied regions in an effort to resolve local demands. Although the Fathers of Confederation originally designed the Canadian system to invest the preponderance of power in Ottawa, over time authority has devolved to the provinces, resulting in a more decentralized country. Provinces were given c...