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TSR Wiki > Study Help > Subjects and Revision > Revision Notes > Politics > The Separation of Powers

"The accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive, and judiciary, in the same hands, whether of one, a few, or many, and whether hereditary, selfappointed, or elective, may justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny."

"Ambition must be made to counteract ambition"

Madison, Federalist 51

Together with representation and the size of the state, the separation of powers was a key tenet of Madison's vision for America. The federal government and the state governments, as well as the legislature, executive and judiciary would be clearly divided. Each would be given a clear motive to check each other.

Horizontal and Vertical

There are two ways in which power can be separated: horizontally and vertically. The horizontal separation of powers is where power is divided between different institutions (the Supreme Court, the Senate, the White House). The vertical separation of powers is where power is divided between the central government and the national government.

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