What system allows each branch of government to limit the powers of the others?

The system that allows each branch of government to limit the powers of the others is known as checks and balances. This concept is crucial in a constitutional government, as it ensures that no one branch becomes too powerful or abuses its authority. By incorporating checks and balances, the framers of the Constitution aimed to prevent tyranny and promote accountability among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches.

Each branch has specific powers and the authority to monitor the actions of the others. For example, the legislative branch can create laws, but the executive branch has the power to veto those laws. Meanwhile, the judicial branch can rule laws unconstitutional, effectively checking the power of both the legislative and executive branches. This interdependence fosters a balanced government structure where cooperation and oversight are essential for functioning democracy.

While federalism refers to the division of power between national and state governments, and separation of powers pertains to distributing governmental authority among distinct branches, checks and balances specifically address the interaction and oversight mechanisms among those branches. Direct democracy, on the other hand, involves citizens voting directly on laws and policies, which is unrelated to the structural interplay of powers in government.