Key Principles of Government

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Limited Power

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A principle of governance where governmental power is restricted by law, usually in a written constitution.

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Republicanism

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A political ideology centered on citizenship in a state organized as a republic, where the people hold popular sovereignty.

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Checks and Balances

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A system that allows each branch of government to amend or veto acts of another branch to prevent any one branch from exerting too much power.

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Federalism

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A system of government in which entities such as states or provinces share power with a national government.

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Separation of Powers

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A model of governance where the state's government is divided into branches, each with separate and independent powers and areas of responsibility.

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Popular Sovereignty

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The principle that the authority of a state and its government are created and sustained by the consent of its people, through their elected representatives.