The difference between a state and a province depends on the country’s governmental authority and geographical organization. China has a provincial structure with more control over domestic affairs, while the US has a state structure that cannot pass laws contradicting federal laws. The relationship between a province/state and its federal/central government varies by country.
The simplest way to illustrate the difference between a state and a province is to compare the governmental authority and geographical organization of two countries, one with each type of system. For the purposes of this comparison, we will use China as an example of a provincial structure and the United States of America as an example of a state structure. It is important to note that the states and provinces in every country are not the same. There can be significant differences between state structures in two countries. Their level of authority and function in relation to the federal government can vary significantly. It is therefore best to understand these systems in the context of the country in which they exist.
Small geographical divisions such as provinces and states derive many of their rights and laws from the central or federal government which works for the benefit of all citizens throughout the country. However, one small difference we find is that Chinese provinces maintain much greater control over their domestic affairs than states in the US system. Aside from Taiwan, which is a special case, the remaining provinces may very well consider much of what the central government wants done, but they may also reject it. The real power comes from the Central Committee, to which the governor of each province is accountable, rather than the federal government. It should be noted that there tends to be more appointments in this particular form of organization in China and fewer in the way of elected officials.
When it comes to lawmaking, states in the US do not have the ability to pass and enforce laws that contradict federal laws. When a state law is understood by some to be in direct conflict with federal law, due process through a judicial system allows the matter to be reviewed and the state law rendered void if it is found to conflict with federal law. This doesn’t happen often, because so many of the people who represent each state’s interests at the federal level are elected and expected to be actively engaged in formulating federal laws that do not compromise the welfare of any state.
Again, a province or state’s exact relationship to its federal or central government would vary in form and structure from country to country. For example, what is true for provinces in China is not necessarily true for provinces in Canada. Depending on the countries compared, there may be no differences between the state organization and the provincial structure.
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