Final answer:
Checks and balances are a core democratic principle of American government, preventing the concentration of power and ensuring accountability. Each branch of government has influence over the others and can block procedures if necessary, maintaining a balance of power.
Step-by-step explanation:
Checks and balances are a core democratic principle of American government, whereby each branch of the government (executive, judicial, and legislative) has some measure of influence over the other branches and may choose to block procedures of the other branches. This ensures that no branch becomes too powerful and prevents corruption and abuse of power. For example, the executive branch can check the power of Congress by vetoing bills passed by the legislative branch. Congress, on the other hand, can limit the influence of the president by refusing to pass legislation or by overriding a presidential veto with a two-thirds majority vote. Checks and balances are maintained among the different organs of the state through a system where each branch has specific powers granted to them that the other branches do not have. This system ensures that decisions and actions taken by one branch are subject to scrutiny and possible restraint by the other branches.