What mechanism prevents one branch of government from gaining too much power?

The mechanism that prevents one branch of government from gaining too much power is checks and balances. This system is foundational in the structure of the U.S. government, including Alabama's state government, ensuring that the three branches—legislative, executive, and judicial—can limit each other's powers and prevent any single branch from dominating the others.

Checks and balances operate through various means. For instance, the legislative branch can create laws, but the executive branch has the power to veto those laws. Furthermore, the judicial branch can review the constitutionality of laws passed by the legislature. This mutual oversight promotes accountability and encourages collaboration between branches, which ultimately protects the democratic principles upon which the government is built and maintains the rule of law.

While federalism refers to the division of power between national and state governments and separation of powers designates distinct roles and responsibilities to the branches of government, it is the checks and balances system that specifically mitigates the risk of power concentration by providing each branch tools to counteract actions taken by the others. Judicial review, while significant, focuses mainly on the judiciary's power to interpret laws and review their constitutionality, rather than the broader system of limiting power among all branches.