What principle prevents any one branch of the government from gaining too much power?

The principle that prevents any one branch of the government from gaining too much power is known as the Separation of Powers. This concept divides government responsibilities into distinct branches: the legislative, executive, and judicial. Each branch has its own powers and responsibilities, ensuring that no single branch can dominate or control the government.

By separating these powers, the system is designed to create a framework for governance that requires collaboration and oversight among the branches. For instance, the legislative branch makes laws, the executive branch enforces them, and the judicial branch interprets them. This structure allows for a system of checks where each branch can monitor and limit the actions of the others, promoting a balance of power.

While checks and balances are closely associated with this principle—acting as a mechanism to maintain the separation of powers—they are fundamentally a result of the separation itself. Checks and balances involve the specific ways in which each branch can restrict the powers of the others to prevent the abuse of power. Thus, while both concepts work together to ensure a fair system of governance, it is the separation of powers that lays the foundational principle that ensures no one branch can gain excessive control.