Question

Write a paragraph about the importance of checks and balances in modern constitutional systems. The paragraph should be between 150-200 words.

Answer 1

Checks and balances, principle of government under which separate branches are empowered to prevent actions by other branches and are induced to share power. They are applied primarily in constitutional governments. They are of fundamental importance in tripartite governments, such as that of the United States, which separate powers among legislative, executive, and judicial branches.This way, no one branch becomes too powerful. Each branch “checks” the power of the other branches to make sure that the power is balanced between them.

The process of how laws are made is an example of checks and balances in action.

Advantages:

According to Madison, checks and balances ensure that the government controls itself.

After having seen what can come from a centralization of power, the Framers of the Constitution wanted to make sure that no single person or branch of government could become too powerful. That is the most significant advantage of our checks and balances system.

For example, the separation of powers prevents any president from acting like a dictator. Congress, not the President, can pass bills. And though the President can sign executive orders, the judicial branch can overturn them if they go outside the scope of what the President is supposed to do.