Which term describes a government in which supreme power is held by the people and their elected representatives?

Which term describes a government in which supreme power is held by the people and their elected representatives?

• A. Oligarchy
• B. Democracy
• C. Republic
• D. Autocracy

Answer: (C)

This term describes a government where the people exercise power through elected representatives and operate under a system of laws. In a republic, citizens choose leaders to make decisions and govern on their behalf, with those leaders constrained by a constitution or set of laws to prevent the arbitrary use of power. This combination—rule by the people through representatives, plus governance under established laws—distinguishes a republic from other forms. Oligarchy is rule by a few, autocracy is rule by one, and while democracy describes rule by the people, it can refer to direct participation or to governance through representatives; the emphasis on elected representatives and a legal framework makes the republic the best fit for this description.

This term describes a government where the people exercise power through elected representatives and operate under a system of laws. In a republic, citizens choose leaders to make decisions and govern on their behalf, with those leaders constrained by a constitution or set of laws to prevent the arbitrary use of power. This combination—rule by the people through representatives, plus governance under established laws—distinguishes a republic from other forms. Oligarchy is rule by a few, autocracy is rule by one, and while democracy describes rule by the people, it can refer to direct participation or to governance through representatives; the emphasis on elected representatives and a legal framework makes the republic the best fit for this description.