Which one of the following factors constitutes the best safeguard of liberty in a liberal democracy?

a. A committed judiciary

b. Centralisation of powers

c. Elected government

d. Separation of powers

Answer- d

Explanation:

Montesquieu in his “The Spirit of Laws”, has emphasised that there must be a separation of powers if liberty is to be safeguarded.

He stated that when the legislative and executive powers are united in the same person or a body of magistrates, they may enact tyrannical laws and execute them in a tyrannical way.
Again, if the judiciary was joined with the legislative, the life and liberty of a person would be exposed to arbitrary control, for the judge would then be a legislator.
If the judiciary accompanies executive power, the judge might behave with violence and oppression.

Hence there must be a separation of powers if liberty is to be safeguarded.

Hence, option d is correct.