What is the main purpose of the system of Checks and Balances?

Study for the Taft Law School Bar Exam. Study with flashcards and multiple choice questions, each question has hints and explanations. Get ready for your exam!

The main purpose of the system of Checks and Balances is to prevent any branch of government from becoming too powerful. This system is foundational to the principles of democracy and government accountability. It is designed to ensure that the legislative, executive, and judicial branches each have distinct powers and responsibilities, so that they can monitor and limit each other's actions. For example, while the legislature has the power to make laws, the executive can veto legislation, and the judiciary can rule laws or executive actions unconstitutional. This interdependence is crucial for maintaining a balance of power, safeguarding against tyranny, and protecting individual liberties.

In the context of the other options, ensuring cooperation among branches, facilitating faster law-making, and enforcing laws equally are certainly beneficial aspects of governance, but they are not the primary objective of the Checks and Balances system. The emphasis is fundamentally on preventing overreach and abuse of power by any single branch, which is vital for a healthy, functioning democracy.

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