The US system of checks and balances can be directly linked to the influence of Athenian democracy, particularly in the way it structures political power to prevent the abuse of authority. The key feature that reflects this influence is:
Multiple branches of government limit one another’s power.
In Athenian democracy, although there was a more direct form of citizen participation, the principle of mutual limitation of power can be seen in various mechanisms, such as rotation of officeholders and various councils that managed different aspects of governance.
In the United States, this concept is more formally structured through the division of government into three branches—executive, legislative, and judicial. Each branch has distinct powers and responsibilities, and they can check each other’s authority. This system ensures that no single branch becomes too powerful, drawing from the lessons learned from Athenian governance regarding the dangers of concentration of power.
While the other statements address aspects of the US government, they do not align as closely with the philosophical underpinnings of checks and balances that were influenced by Athenian democratic principles.