Its government has a separation of powers, so that a single person or entity is not the absolute executive, legislative, and judicial ruler

It is interesting to note to what extent the present form of American government is a reaction to the abuses of the papacy of years gone by:

1. The U.S. has a constitution that protects the rights of the minority.
2. Its government is of the people, by the people, and for the people.
3. All public offices are filled through either free elections or appointment by duly elected officials.
4. Its government has a separation of powers, so that a single person or entity is not the absolute executive, legislative, and judicial ruler.
5. The laws of the U.S. include impeachment proceedings for officials gone awry.

Have the principles of the papacy changed? Does it now have a constitution that protects the minority? Does its system of government now have a separation of powers, impeachment proceedings, and free elections? If not, if there have been no changes and no reforms, what impediment exists to prevent a revival of the abuses of the past? Just a promise? Can it really be so that in this modern era of civil and religious freedoms that the head of Vatican City is still an absolute dictator for life, accountable to no one, unelected by the people?
The very fact that after so many centuries there are still no safeguards in place to prevent the abuses of the past from occurring again gives us no assurance that Ellen White's prediction will not take place.

Excerpt from:

The Elusive Constitution

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