"The judiciary, on the contrary, has no influence over either the sword or the purse... and can take no active resolution whatever. It may truly be said to have neither force nor will, but merely judgment... Whoever attentively considers the different departments of power must perceive, that, in a government in which they are separated from each other, the judiciary, from the nature of its functions, will always be the least dangerous to the political rights of the constitution." — Alexander Hamilton, Federalist No. 78 (1788)
Hamilton implicitly contrasts the judiciary with which branches' specific powers?
- Acheck_circle
The executive's command of the military and the legislature's control of appropriations
- B
The state governors' militia powers and the state assemblies' impeachment authority
- C
The Senate's treaty role and the House's origination of revenue bills
- D
The cabinet's advisory function and the vice president's tie-breaking vote
Explanation
"Sword" refers to the executive's command of armed force and "purse" to the legislature's appropriations power — the two branches Hamilton contrasts with the judiciary. The other pairings name real constitutional features but are not the implicit contrast in this passage.