it it true that States do not have as much sovereignty as an independent nation?

Answer 1

Dear Ahmad B.,

With a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and a student of Global History, I offer the following answer.

States of the United States, in specific do not have sovereignty as an independent nation such as France, Japan, or Canada and in this case definitely not as much as the Federal government of the United States. Though all states in the United States do have their own specified powers and clearly specified ones they don't have. The uniqueness of the United States is the fundamental relationship between the States and the Federal Government. But the 50 states of the United States do have many specific powers within their borders and occasionally in conjunction with other states (generally neighboring, contiguous states) for matters pertaining to local regions (an example being the The Port Authority of New York & New Jersey.)

Often times a sovereign country is referred to as a "nation-state", but this should not be confused with any of the states of the United States.



Article 1, Sections 8-10 do spell out the specific powers (and powers they do not have) of states of the United States.

Thanks,

Frank C.

Wyzant Tutor