The Rotten Fruit of Divided Powers

The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ASPA as an organization.

By Renée Cardarelle
June 5, 2026

It can be argued that today’s sharply partisan political environment has weakened our Constitutional Republic, a republic built on the idea of divided powers. This outcome poses the question: How has the most basic tenet of American government, the idea of dividing power so no one group becomes too powerful, contributed to the partisan divisions that many believe are straining our constitutional system after nearly 250 years? An even more interesting question might be how public administration, what some call the fourth branch of government, could be instrumental in helping preserve it.

The Declaration of Independence states, “Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.” From the start, the United States was modeled on the idea that government should operate with the consent of the people rather than through the unchecked authority of those holding unequal power. This principle was so important to the founders that they embedded it throughout the nation’s federal system. Their goal was to ensure power never accumulated in the hands of a few. Their solution was to divide power, first between the federal government and the states and then among the branches of the federal government.

As Madison proclaimed in Federalist 51, “In the compound republic of America, the power surrendered by the people is first divided between two distinct governments, and then the portion allotted to each subdivided among distinct and separate departments. Hence a double security arises to the rights of the people.” Madison went on to say, “It is of great importance in a republic not only to guard the society against the oppression of its rulers, but to guard one part of the society against the injustice of the other part.”

At the time, this was a relatively unique idea within Western civilization. It grew out of the practical experiences of the founders, who sought to move beyond the concentrated authority associated with European monarchies. To understand how important this principle was to the culture of the newly formed country, it is helpful to remember that many immigrants came to America seeking greater opportunity, religious freedom and a greater degree of control over their own lives.

These historical realities helped give rise to the U.S. Constitution, a written framework for governance that was designed to endure beyond the preferences of any single leader or political moment. This social contract remains the longest-standing written constitution in the world, and separation of powers has been one of its defining principles. Yet the founders, for all their foresight, could not have envisioned the complexity of modern government or the emergence of a professional class of public administrators to help manage it. Indeed, public administration is never mentioned in the Constitution, yet it has grown into what some now describe as a “fourth branch” of government.

In the United States today, power is diffused not only across branches of government but also among administrative departments, nonprofit organizations and private-sector partners. This has created a level of complexity that can be frustratingly slow-moving, but it also makes it difficult for power to accumulate in the hands of a few. This complexity creates a governing space filled with uneasy compromise among competing interests.

It is perhaps a natural evolution that this constant state of compromise, frustrating though it may be, has contributed to the political competition that characterizes much of today’s environment. After all, compromise requires individuals and groups to give up some of what they hope to achieve. It is therefore understandable that there are recurring efforts to simplify government structures, increase efficiency and centralize decision-making authority.

This is where public administration has a role to play. Public administration generally does not function through partisanship. Instead, it operates within the framework established by legislation and administrative rules. Its purpose is not to accumulate power but to implement policy, provide services and maintain continuity in governance. In this way, public administration can serve as a stabilizing force, helping distribute authority across institutions rather than concentrating it in any one place.

Whether the United States will continue the power-sharing model that has served it for nearly 250 years remains to be seen. Given the complexity of modern governance and the extensive network of institutions involved in public decision-making, a dramatic consolidation of power appears unlikely. The continued effectiveness of the American system may depend not only on its constitutional design but also on the public administrators who help translate that design into everyday governance.

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Author: Renée Cardarelle has a Ph.D. in Management and Public Service from Hamline University with a focus on public participation in the governing process. In addition to her work in academia, Cardarelle has worked in the nonprofit sector and in grassroots organizing for more than 25 years.

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