In which form of government do states retain more power than the central authority?

The correct answer is that in a confederation, states retain more power than the central authority. This form of government is characterized by a union of separate, independent states that delegate a limited amount of authority to a central government. The central authority primarily exists to coordinate activities or manage certain common issues, but it does not have the power to enforce decisions on the member states.

In a confederation, the autonomy of each state is highly emphasized, with state governments retaining substantial sovereignty and the ability to govern themselves without interference from the central body. This is in contrast to other forms of government where authority is often more centralized and the power of individual states is diminished. For instance, in a unitary government, the central authority holds the primary power and can grant or revoke powers as it sees fit, leading to much less autonomy for states. Similarly, in parliamentary and presidential systems, while there may be regional governments, they tend to operate under a broader framework of a strong national government that holds significant authority over legislative and executive functions.