The Tenth Amendment delegates powers to whom?

The Tenth Amendment to the United States Constitution is a critical aspect of the federal system, as it establishes the principle of federalism by delineating the distribution of power between the national and state governments. The amendment states that powers not delegated to the federal government by the Constitution, nor prohibited to the states, are reserved to the states or the people. This means that any authority or responsibility that is not expressly outlined in the Constitution as a power of the federal government falls to the states and the people, reinforcing the autonomy of state governments and the rights of individuals.

This provision is significant because it limits the scope of federal authority and emphasizes that the states retain a degree of power and governance. The allocation of powers in this manner aims to protect the rights of states and individuals against potential overreach by the federal government. In essence, the Tenth Amendment serves as a constitutional safeguard for state rights and individual liberties, embodying the principle that the government exists to serve the people, not the other way around.