Separation of Powers means which of the following?

• A. The same person holds all three branches
• B. The three branches are kept separate; powers described in separate Articles
• C. The Legislature has no role in the budget
• D. The President can control the courts directly

Answer: (B)

Separation of powers means government authority is divided among three branches with distinct duties and provisions that keep them separate. In practice, the legislative branch makes laws, the executive enforces them, and the judicial branch interprets laws. The Constitution assigns these powers in different Articles, giving each branch its own sphere while allowing checks and balances to prevent the rise of tyranny. This is why the description that the three branches are kept separate and their powers described in separate Articles is the best fit. The other statements break from this design: concentrating power in one person would erase the separation; budgeting remains a legislative function; and the President cannot control the courts directly since courts operate independently and can check the other branches.