In Federalist paper No. 78, Alexander Hamilton described the Supreme Court as

• A. the center of power
• B. the vital check on the power of the president
• C. the least dangerous branch
• D. a unique body

Answer: (C)

The idea being tested is why Hamilton called the judiciary the least dangerous branch. He argues that the court’s power is limited to interpreting and judging laws; it has no control over the military (the sword) or over national finances and funding (the purse). Because it cannot enforce its decisions or fund its own actions, it cannot threaten the other branches or shift policy on its own. Its independence is protected by lifetime tenure, which keeps judges from political pressure and helps ensure impartial interpretation. The court’s influence comes from its role in upholding the Constitution and resolving disputes, acting as a check on both the legislative and the executive, but it relies on the other branches to enforce its rulings. This combination of limited, non-enforcing power is why Hamilton described it as the least dangerous branch. The other descriptions imply greater power or a different role for the judiciary than Hamilton asserted.