governmental branches
Powers divided constitutionally
Governmental branches are the separate divisions of power within a government, typically legislative, executive, and judicial.
The concept stems from separation of powers doctrine—distributing authority to prevent any single body from accumulating too much control.
The three governmental branches each serve as a check on the others.
Different countries organize their branches differently, but the tripartite model dominates democratic systems.
- CongressU.S. lawmaking body
- legislative bodyInstitution that enacts laws
- Prime MinisterParliamentary head of state
- JudgeCourt official's title
- Supreme CourtNation's top tribunal
Senate · House of Representatives · state legislature · town hall · local council · separation of powers · checks and balances · judicial review · Politburo · Prosecutor · ruling party
governmental branchesabsolute monarchy
Unrestricted single-ruler government
autocracy · totalitarianism · dictatorship · centralized power · centralized authority
governmental branchesanarchy
Disorder from absent authority
statelessness · direct rule · tribal governance · theocracy · military junta
governmental branchesanarchy
Disorder from absent authority
statelessness · lawlessness · tribal council · direct democracy · mob rule
government, governmental, govern, governs, governed, governing, governor, governors, governance