States' rights in U.S. politics refers to political powers reserved for the U.S. state governments rather than the federal government. Since the 1940s, it has often been considered a loaded term because of its use in opposition to federally mandated racial desegregation. In law, states' prerogatives are protected by the Tenth Amendment.
Read more about States' Rights: Background, Text, Controversy To 1865, Since 1865, Contemporary Debates, 10th Amendment Resolutions, States' Rights and The Rehnquist Court, States' Rights As "code Word"
Famous quotes containing the word rights:
“It is difficult for me to imagine the same dedication to women’s rights on the part of the kind of man who lives in partnership with someone he likes and respects, and the kind of man who considers breast-augmentation surgery self-improvement.”
—Anna Quindlen (b. 1952)