What are two main categories of the modern constitutional state?

Answer 1

Using a very broad brush, there are two modern types of governments also called "states". And, this question and its proper answer has nothing to do with democratic or non-democratic governments. Nor does it require a government with a formal constitution. The latter term simply refers to a codified set of laws and standards. With that said the two main classes of governments are unitary and federal.A unitary state is one organized under a single central government. What ever powers held by districts within the overall authority, are given to these bodies at the discretion of the central government. Perhaps better understood is that the central government "came first" and then distributed various powers to the areas or districts under the control of the central government.

In the Federal system governing a state, the central government is the creation of the standing legal bodies. These creators set limits and set specific responsibilities (usually by a written constitution ) for the central government. And all unassigned responsibilities by default belong to the individual parts that have created the new central government.

These are the standard modern political science based definitions of the two major types of states.