Not only is the state separate from civil society, but it is also internally differentiated, containing various branches or sections. The state apparatus thus embraces the political executive or government, in the narrow sense, possibly an assembly or parliament, the judiciary, the bureaucracy, the military, the police, local and regional institutions, and so on. The most important distinction, however, is that between the 'state' and the 'government', two terms that are often used interchangeably. This distinction is not just of academic interest. It goes to the very heart of the idea of limited and constitutional government. In short, government power can be held in check only when the government of the day is prevented from encroaching upon the absolute and unlimited authority of the state.