Principles and Articles of the United States - Essay Example

Principles of the Constitution Principles and articles of the United s Self government Separation of powers Checks and balances The principle of self-government is the pillar of democracy. It implies a government for the citizens and by the citizens. In this sense, citizens vote for leaders, and decided with their leaders on significant issues in the nation or community. The principle of separation of power ensures that the powers in the government are equally shared among the executive, judiciary, and the legislature, and that each of these branches have equal amount of power.

This in turn ensures the balance in democracy. Among the three branches of the government, none of them has authority over one another. The principle of checks and balances monitors all the branches of the government to ensure that each of the branches balances the government so that no one is powerful and supreme than the other. For instance, the judiciary interprets the policy or law, the executive implements the law and the legislature formulates the law. The effectiveness of the checks and balances in the federal government The U.

S constitution was drafted in a unique manner of checks and balances to protect people’s liberty and rights against combination of government authority. It made legislature, judiciary and executive completely separate and autonomous as to work but coordinated for proper function with security to block usurpation of authority or power. When people talk about checks and balances in government, it is significant to understand the composition of the three branches of government that can act or amend another branch of the government to prevent it from possessing too much authority over the other branches (Hollitz, 2010).

This system has proved to be effective in the U.S. For a long time, the U.S constitution has been analyzed, interpreted, and amended to conform and adapt to transforming circumstances, and the authority exercised by the federal or central government have transformed with it. For example, since the Federal or Central government can affect the States, it has the right to hold back federal money from the States that do not desire to conform to the plans of the federal government. The constitution grants these powers to the federal government, which it has to exercise in moderation and not excessively (Hollitz, 2010).

The system of checks and balances have functioned very well for a long time in America despite the fact that some clashes have occurred, when vetoes of certain branches of government have been overtaken or appointees declined, these cases are rare. The system has managed to keep the judiciary, executive and the legislature in balance, which has seen these branches attain a workable balance with no one, branch having all the governmental authority or power. It is therefore significant to note that as generations pass, the nature of government also changes which calls for rational constitutional change that will in turn maintain a free society and protect the liberties of the citizens.

ReferenceHollitz, J. (2010). Thinking through the past: A critical thinking approach to U.S. history, Volume I, 4th ed. Boston: Wadsworth.