Limited Government
Definition
A limited government is a political system where the powers of the government are restricted by law, usually through a written constitution. It prevents the government from becoming too powerful and protects individual rights.
Analogy
Think of limited government like a referee in a football game. The referee can't just make up rules as they go along; they have to follow the rulebook (the constitution). This ensures fair play and prevents any one team (or in this case, branch of government) from gaining an unfair advantage.
Related terms
Checks and Balances: This is 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: This refers to an act of vesting the legislative, executive, and judicial powers into separate bodies. It's like dividing responsibilities among different members in a group project.
Constitutionalism: This is adherence to a system of constitutional governance. It's like sticking strictly to the recipe when baking cookies - you don't deviate from what's written down.
"Limited Government" appears in:
Subjects (1)
Study guides (4)
Practice Questions (7)
- What is the principle of limited government and how does it protect individual rights?
- What is the principle of limited government?
- What do those who emphasize limited government believe about the role of the federal government?
- What is a direct consequence of limited government in the United States?
- How have principles embodied in limited government shaped modern judicial interpretations regarding state powers?
- Which ideology most closely aligns with the belief of a limited government, free market economy, and strong defense?
- Which modern policy best reflects the ideological conflict between the belief in limited government and social equality?
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