Among the advantages of separation of powers are the prevention of abuse of power, ensuring judicial independence, reduction in the number of conflicts among the arms of government, and the promotion of efficiency in government.
The above are some of the reasons why separation of powers is necessary for a constitution.
Below are two high school Government past questions about the importance of separation of powers.
You will find, right under these questions, the merits of the separation of powers. I have also added the recommended approach to writing a good high school Government essay on the advantages of separation of powers.
- EXPLAIN THE CONCEPT OF SEPARATION OF POWERS AND SHOW WHY IT IS EMBODIED IN A COUNTRY’S CONSTITUTION
- OUTLINE THE MERITS OF SEPARATION OF POWERS.
Define and explain the Separation of Powers
Separation of powers is the sharing of governmental powers among the three organs of government namely, the legislature, the executive, and the judiciary. It was first discussed by John Locke but popularized by, and therefore associated with, Baron de Montesquieu.
Montesquieu argues that in order to prevent tyranny the three organs of government must be separated from, and act as a check on, one another.
You can also read much about how the separation of powers operates in the presidential system of government.
Do you want to find out whether the separation of powers exists in the parliamentary system of government? Then go to this tutorial.
State and Explain Advantages
After your brief definition of the separation of powers, it is now time for you to not only state but also explain the advantages of separation of powers.
Here come some of the major reasons separation of powers is necessary for a state.
1. It promotes efficiency in government.
One importance of separation of powers is that it creates functional specialization and therefore ensures efficiency in government.
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2. Separation of Powers prevents autocracy.
Separation of powers is also important in a democracy because it prevents tyrannical rule and abuse of power. Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
3. It safeguards individual rights and liberties.
It helps protect the rights and liberties of individuals living in the state.
The Separation of Powers and checks and balances are the essence of constitutional democracy which calls for the protection of individual rights. This can only be done when power is shared and checked.
4. It minimizes conflict within the government.
The fourth advantage of the Separation of Powers is that it minimizes conflict among government institutions.
Under the separation of powers, functions are fairly well-defined.
Again, the constitution makes a provision for judicial review. This is meant to deal peacefully with any source of friction between any two organs of government.
5. It ensures an independent judiciary.
Finally, separation of powers gives meaning to, and buttresses, the important notion of judicial independence.
This is mainly because it protects judges from undue political influence that may come from the executive arm of government in particular.
Thus, the justice system as well as the general public benefits from the separation of powers as the doctrine allows judges to independently administer justice to all citizens without fear or favour.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, the concept of separation of powers has become a key protector of democratic government. In the absence of separation of powers, powerful officials could easily hijack, monopolise and abuse power to the detriment of citizens’ fundamental human rights. This is why there is always the need to make the separation of powers with its checks and balances work in every democracy.
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