The concept of separation of powers and checks and balances is associated with which figure?

• A. John Adams
• B. Nathaniel Ward
• C. Samuel Seabury
• D. A. R. Amar

Answer: (A)

Division of government into separate branches with checks and balances is about preventing the concentration of power by giving each branch its own powers and ways to restrain the others. John Adams argued for a carefully structured government where legislative, executive, and judicial powers are distinct and designed to interlock in ways that keep any one branch from dominating. In his writings on state and national constitutions, he defends a mixed, interdependent system that uses this division to protect liberty and guard against tyranny. That focus on creating and balancing independent branches is why he’s the figure people associate with separation of powers and checks and balances. The other figures are known for different roles in political thought, so they don’t carry the same association in this context.