Response: American government works for one simple reason: separation of powers. Granted, within those powers, there are ways in which the government can gain more power than given explicitly, but gives the three branches more-equal power. In Federalist 10, it is directly stated that in their ideal government "No man is allowed to be a judge in his own cause, because his interest would certainly bias his judgment, and, not improbably, corrupt his integrity." Here, James Madison points to where a government cannot allow for themselves to be court, judge, and executioner because it allows for inherent bias to exist. It is extremely important for the government to remain unbiased, and this is done by giving each branch of government power over each other in separate instances. For example, it is not the executive branch to determine whether to impeach the president, it is the job of Congress to decide this. If Congress wants to pass a law that hurts the general public, it is the job of the president to strike down any laws that he sees dangerous for the people.
Federalist 10 #2: "If a faction consists of less than a majority, relief is supplied by the republican principle, which enables the majority to defeat its sinister views by regular vote. It may clog the administration, it may convulse the society; but it will be unable to execute and mask its violence under the forms of the Constitution. When a majority is included in a faction, the form of popular government, on the other hand, enables it to sacrifice to its ruling passion or interest both the public good and the rights of other citizens. To secure the public good and private rights against the danger of such a faction, and at the same time to preserve the spirit and the form of popular government, is then the great object to which our inquiries are directed. Let me add that it is the great desideratum by which this form of government can be rescued from the opprobrium under which it has so long labored, and be recommended to the esteem and adoption of mankind."
Response: The government here in the US has a major flaw that if it were to exist in democracy, there is a chance that the government could rule against another large group of people. Even voting with the majority, the government still has the ability to dictate what is best for the nation as long as they have the votes. It is imperative for the government to create legislation which acts and behaves in the best interest of all Americans, and there has to be no way possible for the government to completely mask possible crimes that could be committed. That is why the Constitution and a healthy, stable government can lead to a government that supports all the people.
Federalist 51 #1: "First. In a single republic, all the power surrendered by the people is submitted to the administration of a single government; and the usurpations are guarded against by a division of the government into distinct and separate departments. In the compound republic of America, the power surrendered by the people is first divided between two distinct governments, and then the portion allotted to each subdivided among distinct and separate departments. Hence a double security arises to the rights of the people. The different governments will control each other, at the same time that each will be controlled by itself."
Response: James Madison goes on to add in Federalist 51 that "The different governments will control each other, at the same time that each will be controlled by itself." Rather than having one, unified group of people controlling millions of people, having separate divisions of government allows for there to be less of a chance for corruption and less of a chance to fail if one group falls or gets overthrown. This is what makes the American form of government work. Without separation of powers, there is no possible, feasible way for a federal government to rule over 300 million people. Madison sums this up perfectly by stating "hence a double security arises to the rights of people" when referring to dividing government to at least two separate parts.
Federalist 51 #2: "It is equally evident, that the members of each department should be as little dependent as possible on those of the others, for the emoluments annexed to their offices. Were the executive magistrate, or the judges, not independent of the legislature in this particular, their independence in every other would be merely nominal."
Response: The government does not have the best interest of the people if they do not make a concerted effort to make each department of government as independent as possible. Today in the US government, we are able to function efficiently because although each branch relies on each other, however they do not NEED the support of each other at every step of the way. The Supreme Court does act independently from the other two branches, but relies on laws either passed by Congress to make decisions on cases. By having independent branches the US government is able to separate their powers and restrict the amount of influence parties have as much as it can.
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