<P> In political philosophy , limited government is where the government is empowered by law from a starting point of having no power , or where governmental power is restricted by law , usually in a written constitution . It is a key concept in the history of liberalism . The United States Constitution presents an example of the federal government not possessing any power except what is delegated to it by the Constitution - with the Tenth Amendment to the United States Constitution specifically stating that powers not specifically delegated to the federal government is reserved for the people and the states . The Magna Carta and the United States Constitution also represents important milestones in the limiting of governmental power . The earliest use of the term limited government dates back to King James VI and I in the late 16th century . Limited government put into practice often involves the protection of individual liberty from government intrusion . </P>
the main idea of limited government is that
the government is empowered by law from a starting point of having no power , or where governmental power is restricted by law , usually in a written constitution