A commonly cited weakness of the Articles of Confederation was that the national government lacked what power?

• A. The federal government had too much control over interstate commerce
• B. The national government lacked an effective power to raise revenue
• C. The judicial branch was elected and did not consistently adhere to the rule of law
• D. The executive branch was granted too much power over the legislature

Answer: (B)

The main idea being tested is whether the national government could fund its operations. Under the Articles, Congress had no power to levy taxes; it could only ask the states for money, and states could refuse. Without a reliable source of national revenue, the government couldn’t pay debts, fund the army, or run national affairs. That financial weakness is why this is cited as the major flaw of the Articles. Other problems existed—such as limited ability to regulate commerce or lack of a strong national executive or judiciary—but the absence of revenue-raising power best explains why the Articles fell short.