Implied powers are political powers granted to the United States government that aren’t explicitly stated in the Constitution. They’re implied to be granted because similar powers have set a precedent. These implied powers are necessary for the function of any given governing body.
Why does the government rely on the doctrine of implied powers?
This is why the government often relies on the doctrine of implied powers when creating and passing new laws. The difference between implied powers and express powers is that the Constitution does not spell out exactly what implied powers are.
When did implied powers start?
The concept of implied powers has existed since the Constitution was written, though the phrase itself has been around for longer than the Constitution itself has. In fact, it’s existed in political theory since at least the 1780s. An early work from 1785 references the implied Powers and Privileges of political bodies in Ireland.
