MIDTERM EXAM Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

MIDTERM EXAM - Essay Example The framers of the Constitution, most notably James Madison advocated the interrelated and interdependent systems of values, political structures and political processes. These interconnected systems are the very essence of a democratic government which derives its authority from its people which consequently makes it a government by the people. With these, it likewise carries the responsibility of safeguarding liberty and the prevention of tyranny, which can be inferred in the Constitution itself. . When the Constitution speaks of values it refers to popular consent and personal liberty among others. The United States Constitution was passed to preserve individual liberties against the incursions by the government. This preservation of individual liberties is all enshrined to what is termed as the Bill of Rights. The Bill of Rights is the set of prescriptions setting forth the fundamental civil and political rights of the individual; similarly, it imposes limitations on the power of government as a means of securing the enjoyment of the aforesaid rights. The Bill of Rights is distinctively designed to preserve the ideals of liberty, equality and security. The Bill of Rights is enshrined in the first ten amendments to the Constitution. With respect to political structures, the United States Constitution provides for the Separation of Power and the s... This is such, for the reason that no one branch had enough power to dominate the other. These branches of government were independent of each other, but necessitated to cooperate with each other to govern. In the Federalist No. 51, Madison wrote "the great security against a gradual concentration of several powers in the same department consists in giving those who administer each department the necessary constitutional means and personal motives to resist encroachments of the others." And as such, the separation of power prevents a concentration of authority in one person or one group which might lead to an irreversible error or abuse in its exercise to the detriment of the democratic institution of the country. Such separation of powers is designed to secure actions, preclude over action, and prevent despotism and to achieve efficiency. On the other hand, the Principle of Checks and Balances is a system by which the Constitution provides each department certain powers by which it may definitely restrain the other branch form improvident action, which in so doing, maintains the balance among the branches of government and accordingly preserves the will of the sovereign as expressed in the constitution. Political Processes encompasses free and fair elections, majority rules and freedom of speech among others. The free and fair elections are manifested in the constitution wherein it is provided that as a republican government, it is incumbent upon the people to select their representatives who will make decisions for them. Election is a form of participation wherein people engage in political processes of shaping the government's authority. And it is through election