Legal Definitions - states' rights

Definition: States' rights refer to the powers and privileges that are reserved for individual states within the United States. These rights are not specifically granted to the federal government by the Constitution, nor are they prohibited to the states.

Example: One example of states' rights is the ability of individual states to regulate certain aspects of their own economies. For instance, some states may choose to set their own minimum wage rates or establish their own environmental regulations. Another example is the ability of states to determine their own laws regarding issues such as gun control or same-sex marriage.

These examples illustrate the concept of states' rights because they demonstrate how individual states have the power to make decisions that are specific to their own needs and values, without interference from the federal government. This allows for greater flexibility and diversity within the United States, as different states can experiment with different policies and approaches to governance.