Confederation (8)
I believe the answer is:
alliance
<span class="explanation-format__ClueExplanation">'<span class="explanation-format__original">confederation</span>' is the definition.<br/ ><span class="explanation-format__explanation">(I know that confederation can be written as alliance)</span><br/ ><br/ >This is all the clue.<br/ ></span>
(Other definitions for alliance that I've seen before include "Formal agreement" , "Group acting together for common cause" , "Union, association" , "Combination by treaty" , "Kind of partnership with canaille" .)