Texas Citizenship Practice Test

The concept of checks and balances is fundamental to the structure of the U.S. government. It is designed to ensure that the three branches of government—executive, legislative, and judicial—can monitor and limit each other's powers. This system prevents any one branch from gaining dominance and helps maintain a balance of authority.

For instance, the legislative branch makes laws, but the executive branch has the power to veto legislation. Additionally, the judicial branch can review laws and actions taken by the executive or legislative branches to ensure they comply with the Constitution. This interplay establishes a dynamic where each branch can exert control over the others, which is essential for protecting individual rights and preventing tyranny.

While federalism and the separation of powers are also important concepts in governance, they do not specifically refer to the mechanisms of oversight and limitation among the branches of government in the same direct way that checks and balances do. Federalism refers to the division of power between national and state governments, and separation of powers deals with the distribution of authority among the three branches. However, it is checks and balances that directly addresses the interaction and control over power between these branches.