Essential Conditions Necessary for the Success of a Federation are discussed below :

i. Desire for Union: A strong desire for unity among the people of the federating units is the first condition essential for the formation and successful working of a federation. The will to have a union and form a big single sovereign powerful state alone can provide a solid psychological basis for the establishment of a federation and can pave the way for its successful working.

ii. Preservation of Individuality: The federating units while desiring for union should also be conscious of their individualities and be committed to preserve these even after becoming parts of the federation. Along with strength and solidarity that they want to secure through a federation, they should be prepared to preserve their identities through internal autonomy. While standing for national unity, these should also stand for their individualities and autonomous existences. ‘Unity in Diversity’, is thus the ha mark of federation and faith in this maxim alone can secure its an efficient an successful operation.

iii. Political Maturity and Education: The system of Federation demands an under-standing on the part of the people regarding the respective roles of the central government and state governments in the operation of the federal system. They should be clear about the distinction between the national issues and needs, and local or regional issues and needs.

They should be fully conversant with the theory of federalism and ignore neither the national needs in favour of narrow regionalism nor the regional interests and rights in favour of extreme nationalism. They should be tolerant of regionalism as a natural part of federalism. Political maturity on the part of the people alone can secure a successful working of a federation.

iv. Geographical Contiguity: The geographical contiguity of the federating units goes a long way towards the successful operation of the federal system. Physical separation of units is always a source of weakness. It prevents the people of the federating units to mix and develop links — a condition vitally important for the health and evolution of the federation. It also hampers the securing of political cooperation among the federating units in managing the national affairs.

v. Community of Race, Language, Culture and Religion: A federation characterised by community of language, race, culture and religion alone can work in a strong and healthy manner. These elements create a sentiment of unity—as sense of belonging to one another, hold together the people and wield them into one nation. Common historical traditions and respect and love for common culture values provide a strong basis for the unity of the federating people and thereby help the federation to work successfully. Linguistic and religious unity further cements the ties of the people. The existence of linguistic and religious diversities can be a source of weakness for the federation. However, this should not be taken to mean that it is absolutely essential for a federation to have one language and one religion.

vi. Similarity of Political Institutions and Alert Political Parties: Similarity of political ideas and institutions among the federating states and their peoples is indeed a sine-quo-non for successful working of the federation. Where opines that without similarity of political institutions, there can emerge no real and effective desire for the union. Similar political institutions can greatly help the development of a popularly shared political process characterised by commonly shared political values and goals (Political Culture). The centre and states should have similar constitutional systems only then can they coexist and coordinate their efforts.