THE CONCEPTUAL APPROACHES TO THE PROBLEM OF INTERACTION BETWEEN DEMOCRACY AND THE SYSTEM OF CHECKS AND BALANCES

Abstract

The article explores the relationship between democracy as a functional characteristic of the form of government and the system of checks and balances as an institutional mechanism for the separation and limitation of powers.In democratic states, the effective functioning of representative institutions is closely linked to the need for legal and political mechanisms that prevent the concentration of power in the hands of a single branch or official. Thearticle analyzes how the system of checks and balances can both strengthen and complicate the implementation of democratic principles, particularly transparency, accountability, and citizen participation in decision-making. The historical and theoretical foundations of the concept of separation of powers and the system of checks and balancesare examined, including their development in the works of C. Montesquieu and J. Locke. The interdependencebetween the system of checks and balances and democracy is evident. The system of checks and balances constitutes an integrated set of powers among the branches of government, enabling them to restrain and balance one another.In turn, democracy is a form and method of organizing power that ensures the balancing and limitation of authorityacross different branches. The separation of powers and the system of checks and balances contribute to the expansion and qualitative deepening of democratic foundations in society, ensuring that democracy is exercisedas fully and consistently as possible. The study employs systemic, comparative, and institutional methods. Thepractical significance of the work lies in the potential application of its findings to enhance the effective functioningof checks and balances in democracies, particularly under conditions of political polarization, crises of public trust, and threats of authoritarianism. The results obtained contribute to a deeper understanding of the checks andbalances system within emerging models of democracy in the 21st century.