> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://canopy-network.gitbook.io/docs/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://canopy-network.gitbook.io/docs/canopy-network/core-features/progressive-sovereignty.md).

# Progressive Sovereignty

### What is 'Sovereignty'?

*In this era of buzzwords like 'modular' and 'trust minimization' - it's difficult to know what 'sovereignty' actually is.* 

**Canopy makes this simple:**

* ✅ Are not dependent on any other protocol to operate
* ✅ Can't be censored by non-stakeholders
* ✅ May scale independently — free of resource constraints of any other protocol
* ✅ May leave a Security Root without any software changes
* ✅ Historical finality isn't threatened by leaving
* ✅ Retain the complete ledger and blockchain history
* ✅ Can rejoin a Security Root at anytime
* ✅ Retain full ownership of blockchain data
* ✅ Have complete value capture

Things you will not see in Sovereign blockchains:

* ❌ External points of failure aka 'modular' dependencies
* ❌ Re-genesis events or ground up rebuilds to migrate
* ❌ Loss of historical block finality
* ❌ Success ceiling dictated by the resources of a host
* ❌ Censorship by 3rd party Validators
* ❌ Leaking economics to the host

{% hint style="danger" %}
True sovereignty is a fundamental piece of [decentralization](/docs/canopy-network/why-canopy/blockchain-101.md)! Without it — a chain is just Web2 with a bad UX
{% endhint %}

Canopy offers a seamless path to independence graduation - where the chain may graduate to **complete sovereignty** after surpassing the [cold start problem](/docs/canopy-network/why-canopy/background-and-industry-state.md#are-hard-to-launch) of L1s by using a security root. 

And the process is simple...

* Step 1: 
  * Issue an on-chain governance transaction to change `RootChainID`
* Step 2: 
  * The software will automatically use the new `RootChainURL` in the `config.json` 

{% hint style="success" %}
Dive deeper into the 'How' with [Utility](/docs/canopy-network/how-does-canopy-work/utility.md)
{% endhint %}