Why was it difficult for congress to fulfill its duties under the Articles of Confederation

It was difficult for Congress to fulfill its duties under the Articles of Confederation because Congress lacked the power to regulate foreign trade, and most congressional decisions required the approval of at least nine states.

Explanation:

for starters, there is the structural trend of rising primary government expenditure as a share of gdp, which reached 36% in 2014, up from 22% in 1991. this increase reflected a political desire to address the poverty and inequality that had gone unaddressed during previous decades. to support the increase, brazil’s government increased taxes on consumption and promoted progress toward labor-market formalization. nonetheless, public investment, particularly in infrastructure, took a hit. in fact, with the exception of the 2005-2008 period, total investment as a share of gdp has remained below 20% since 1991.