Federalist 51
Definition
Federalist No. 51 is an essay by James Madison, in which he outlines the system of checks and balances that he believes should exist in government to prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful.
Analogy
Think about a game of rock-paper-scissors. Each item can defeat one other item but can also be defeated by another - this ensures that no single item becomes too powerful. Similarly, the system of checks and balances ensures that no branch of government becomes too dominant.
Related terms
Checks and Balances: A system that allows each branch of a government to amend or veto acts of another branch so as to prevent any one branch from exerting too much power.
Separation Of Powers: The division of governmental responsibilities into distinct branches to limit any one branch from exercising the core functions of another.
Veto Power: The power (used by an officer of the state) to unilaterally stop an official action, especially enactment of a legislation.
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