Three - Separation of Powers

Question 1

Quotes on separation of powers

Answer 1

• Acton: “power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely”
• Montesquieu: “when the legislative and executive powers are united in the same person or body there can be no liberty”

Question 2

Ideal of SoP

Answer 2

• political theory: Aristotle
• Declaration of Rights of Man Citizen: “any society in which the SOP is not observed has no constitution”
• strict model of SOP

Question 3

USA - one of best known attempts to incorporate ideal of SoP into real constitution

Answer 3

• Article 1 - Legislative power: Congress
• Article 2 - executive power: president
• Article 3 - judiciary: Supreme Court
• separation of personnel

Checks and balances:

• mutual checks and balances
• presidential veto of legislation
• congressional scrutiny of presidential appointees i.e. Bush Harriet Myers
• presidential nomination of Supreme Court justices