Making government control itself : checks and balances, History

Assignment Help:

Making Government Control Itself: Checks and Balances

The American Revolutionaries were understandably distrustful of government. They were familiar with both ancient and recent history, and believed that governments were prone to abuse their powers and deprive citizens of their freedom. After successfully rebelling from British tyranny, they confronted the task of creating a form of government that would not degenerate into a tyranny. Although they foresaw this as a difficult task, they also considered it an opportunity to create a new type of society, one in which citizens' freedoms would be protected. If they could somehow devise a form of government that could be prevented from abusing its authority, they might create a society truly new in human history.

James Madison, the principal author of the American Constitution, knew that creating a strong, successful government that would not become too strong at citizens' expense was an extremely difficult balance to strike. As he put it, "The chief difficulty lies in this: one must first enable the government to control the governed. Secondly, one must also oblige the government to control itself." Madison, like most of the Framers, believed that citizens must provide the most important check on government's abuse of power, but he also sought to create a form of government that would actually regulate and limit itself. In order to prevent their new government from becoming too strong, the Framers built several mechanisms to limit government's power into their new Constitution, creating a government with three branches, each of which had a distinct role to play. This is the idea of separation of powers. Each branch also had some power to limit the actions of the other two. This is the idea of checks and balances. In response to the Framers' fears of government, the government of the United States is actually designed to be inefficient, so that it is less likely to become too powerful or be able to deprive citizens of their liberties.

 


Related Discussions:- Making government control itself : checks and balances

What did the famous political slogan, What did the famous political slogan,...

What did the famous political slogan,"54, 40' or Fight" mean? While the United States fought to capture the Southwest, it also added lands in the Northwest. During the 1840s, m

Abigail Adams and power, what news is Abigail Adams hoping to hear from he...

what news is Abigail Adams hoping to hear from her husband

How do you account for the rise of progressivism, How do you account for th...

How do you account for the rise of Progressivism? How did reformers hope to solve the fundamental problems associated with modern industrial and urban society?

Paul rubens was one of the favorite artists of louis xiv, Peter Paul Rubens...

Peter Paul Rubens was one of the favorite artists of Louis XIV, known as the Sun King. Describe a painting by Rubens that you think shares the same sort of grandeur and extravaganc

The containment theory, The Containment Theory: George Kennan is Proven Cor...

The Containment Theory: George Kennan is Proven Correct 43 Years later

Lutheranism and calvinism, what were the main tenets (principles, teachings...

what were the main tenets (principles, teachings) of Lutheranism and Calvinism, and how did they differ from each other and from Catholicism?

Conditions will improve and child labor, In your opinion, do you believe th...

In your opinion, do you believe that, with globalization, labor conditions will improve and child labor and other abuses will diminish in the world in general? Defend your answer w

Economic security a vital element of american freedom, how did the new deal...

how did the new deal make economic security a vital element of american freedom?

Challenges mohammad mossadegh, Consider the perceived challenges Mohammad M...

Consider the perceived challenges Mohammad Mossadegh and Gamal abd al-Nasser (Nasser) presented to US interests in 1953 and 1956, respectively. List 3 similarities between the two

History: later middle ages, Ask questi have been called a wise ruler a grea...

Ask questi have been called a wise ruler a great general and a model of knightly chivalry who am iion #Minimum 100 words accepted#

Write Your Message!

Captcha
Free Assignment Quote

Assured A++ Grade

Get guaranteed satisfaction & time on delivery in every assignment order you paid with us! We ensure premium quality solution document along with free turntin report!

All rights reserved! Copyrights ©2019-2020 ExpertsMind IT Educational Pvt Ltd