The Case for Sovereignty: Why the World Should Welcome American Independence

Sovereign nations now readily submit their domestic policies to international agreements and supranational institutions. Jeremy Rabkin warns that international regulation, such as the Kyoto Protocol's ambitious scheme to combat global warming, will seriously distort the American constitutional system, threatening federalism, separation of powers, and property rights. Why Sovereignty Matters argues for reviving the traditional American view on the proper form and reach of international agreements and treaties. Why Sovereignty Matters is one in a series of new AEI studies related to the globalization of environmental policy. These studies will focus on specific issues, such as global climate change, and on the new institutional arrangements required to deal with them. A list of publications in this series appears inside.