Why separation of powers matters: Is freedom inevitable? The
answer to that question is obvious but essential. Freedom is not
inevitable. Historically, freedom is a temporary condition
enjoyed by only a fraction of the earth's population. Since
freedom is not inevitable - indeed, the opposite is true;
freedom is rare - we must ask, "Why are we free when others or
not?" As a nation (and state) of immigrants, we can't claim we
are free because of our genetics. Our nation (and state) is
blessed with natural resources, but so is Russia. Wealth does
not produce freedom. In America (and in Nevada), we are free,
because our founders recognized that, as Lord Acton stated,
"Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely"
and designed a government with three branches of government.
While these branches of government each have different
functions, they also have the ability to check the power
exercised by another branch. To ensure that no person or group
would amass too much power, the founders establish