Which principle ensures that no branch of government becomes too powerful?

The principle that ensures that no branch of government becomes too powerful is Checks and Balances. This concept is integral to the functioning of the U.S. government and is designed to prevent any one branch—executive, legislative, or judicial—from gaining unchecked power over the others.

Checks and Balances works by delegating specific powers to each branch, while also allowing each branch to monitor and limit the actions of the others. For example, while the legislative branch makes laws, the executive branch has the power to veto those laws, and the judicial branch can rule laws unconstitutional. This interconnected system of oversight fosters accountability and ensures that power is distributed, maintaining the balance necessary for a fair governance system.

The principle of Separation of Powers is closely related and focuses on the distinct responsibilities assigned to each branch of government, but it is the system of Checks and Balances that actively ensures these branches can check each other’s power. Federalism pertains to the division of power between national and state governments, while Judicial Review refers to the ability of courts to assess the constitutionality of legislative acts and executive actions, which is a component of Checks and Balances but not the broader principle itself.