Which constitutional principle divides government powers among three branches to prevent tyranny?

Which constitutional principle divides government powers among three branches to prevent tyranny?

• A. Federalism
• B. Separation of Powers
• C. Popular Sovereignty
• D. Limited Government

Answer: (B)

Separation of powers is the arrangement that divides government responsibilities into three branches so that no single group holds all the authority. By assigning distinct duties—making laws, enforcing laws, and interpreting laws—the framers built a system of checks and balances that helps prevent tyranny. Each branch can limit the others, and power is not allowed to concentrate in one place. Historically, this idea grew from concerns about concentrated authority under colonial rule and from Enlightenment thinkers who argued power should be curbed and balanced. It’s important to distinguish it from federalism, which deals with the division of power between national and state governments; popular sovereignty, which holds that the people are the ultimate source of government authority; and limited government, which emphasizes constitutional constraints on what the government can do. The principle described here directly addresses how power is distributed among the branches to keep any one part of government from dominating.

Separation of powers is the arrangement that divides government responsibilities into three branches so that no single group holds all the authority. By assigning distinct duties—making laws, enforcing laws, and interpreting laws—the framers built a system of checks and balances that helps prevent tyranny. Each branch can limit the others, and power is not allowed to concentrate in one place.

Historically, this idea grew from concerns about concentrated authority under colonial rule and from Enlightenment thinkers who argued power should be curbed and balanced. It’s important to distinguish it from federalism, which deals with the division of power between national and state governments; popular sovereignty, which holds that the people are the ultimate source of government authority; and limited government, which emphasizes constitutional constraints on what the government can do. The principle described here directly addresses how power is distributed among the branches to keep any one part of government from dominating.