Divided Governmental Power

	Divided Governmental Power in the United States

Governmental power is divided in the Constitution by a variety of means:

Separation of Powers ("horizontal" division - Legislative, Executive, Judicial)
Federalism ("vertical" division - National, State, Local)
Bicameralism (House, Senate)

This was a deliberate decision made by the Constitutional framers, however doing so has produced a number of costs and benefits.

**Costs and Benefits of Divided Governmental Power**
Costs	Benefits
Fragmented leadership Deadlock and delay Difficulty in making changes Uncertain responsiblity for decisions	Appropriate for a diverse society Bargaining, negotiation, and accomodation Multiple points of access to government Less vulnerable to authoritarian rule

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