States' rights (American politics) (Topical Term)

World encyc., 2005 (states' rights: in USA, a doctrine that the states have authority in matters not delegated to the federal government)

Britannica online, Jan. 17, 2008 (states' rights: the rights or powers retained by the regional governments of a federal union under the provisions of a federal constitution. In the United States, Switzerland, and Australia, the powers of the regional governments are those that remain after the powers of the central government have been enumerated in the constitution ... the concept of states' rights is closely related to that of state rights, which was invoked from the 18th century in Europe to legitimate the powers vested in sovereign national governments)

Wikipedia, Jan. 17, 2008 (States' rights: states' rights refers to the idea, in U.S. politics and constitutional law, that U.S. states possess certain rights and political powers in relation to the federal government. A commonly cited source for states' rights is the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution, which is part of the Bill of Rights. The states' rights concept is usually used to defend a state law that the federal government seeks to override, or to oppose a perceived violation by the federal government of the bounds of federal authority)