Glossary term
Checks and Balances
The system built into the Constitution that gives each branch of government (legislative, executive, judicial) ways to limit the power of the other branches.
Historical context
Separation of powers is a political doctrine originating in the writings of Charles de Secondat, Baron de Montesquieu in The Spirit of the Laws, in which he argued for a constitutional government with three separate branches, each of which would have defined authority to check the powers of the others. This philosophy heavily influenced the United States Constitution, according to which the Legislative, Executive, and Judicial branches of the United States government are kept distinct to prevent abuse of power.