A form of government derives its power from the people and has representatives accountable to those they govern. Which term fits?

• A. Public policy
• B. Popular sovereignty
• C. Participatory democracy
• D. Republic

Answer: (D)

Power comes from the people and is exercised through elected representatives who are accountable to those they govern. That is the essence of a republic. In a republic, citizens choose others to make decisions on their behalf, and those representatives can be held to account through elections and other legal mechanisms, keeping government power in check. This blends popular sovereignty with a system that uses representation rather than direct rule by all citizens.

Public policy is not a form of government, so it isn’t describing how power is organized. Participatory democracy emphasizes broad citizen involvement in decision-making, not primarily governance by elected representatives. Popular sovereignty is the broader idea that the people hold the ultimate authority; the question, however, points to the specific structure of governance through representatives, which is a republic.