Which author supports separation of powers and mixed government?

• A. Brutus 3
• B. Federalist 10
• C. Federalist 51
• D. John Adams - Thoughts on Government

Answer: (D)

The idea being tested is separation of powers paired with a mixed government—dividing authority among distinct branches and blending different sources of political legitimacy to keep any one part from dominating. John Adams, in Thoughts on Government, lays out a three-branch framework (executive, legislature, judiciary) with built-in checks and balances, and he describes a mixed form that combines elements typically associated with monarchy, aristocracy, and democracy. This explicit push for both distinct powers and cross-checks is exactly what “separation of powers” plus “mixed government” mean, making Adams’ work the clearest match.

Other writers contribute to related themes, such as the general argument for checks and balances in Federalist papers, or anti-centralization cautions, but Adams is the one who directly ties a three-branch, mixed-structure approach to protecting liberty in Thoughts on Government.