2008 civics test · Question 14 of 100 · System of Government
What stops one branch of government from becoming too powerful?
In Chinese 什么能防止政府的某一个部门权力过大？
Official answers
- checks and balances制衡
- separation of powers三权分立
Any one of these answers is accepted unless the question asks for more than one.
Why this is the answer
The Founders did not want any one person or group to have too much power. So the Constitution uses separation of powers, dividing power among three branches, and checks and balances, letting each branch limit the others. For example, the President can veto laws, Congress can override a veto, and courts can rule laws unconstitutional.
Source: USCIS 100 Civics Questions (PDF)