What idea says government authority comes from the people?

What idea says government authority comes from the people?

• A. Divine Right
• B. Popular Sovereignty
• C. Federalism
• D. Separation of Powers

Answer: (B)

Popular sovereignty is the idea that government authority comes from the people. This means the government gains legitimacy from the consent of those it governs, typically expressed through elections and participation in civic life. The people grant authority to rulers and institutions, and they can withdraw that authority if the government isn’t serving the public interest. The United States embodies this through the orientation of the Constitution toward consent, such as the opening line “We the People.” Divine Right, by contrast, holds that rulers derive authority from God, not from the people. Federalism is about how power is shared between national and state governments, not the source of authority. Separation of Powers describes distributing government powers across different branches to prevent tyranny, rather than explaining where authority comes from.

Popular sovereignty is the idea that government authority comes from the people. This means the government gains legitimacy from the consent of those it governs, typically expressed through elections and participation in civic life. The people grant authority to rulers and institutions, and they can withdraw that authority if the government isn’t serving the public interest. The United States embodies this through the orientation of the Constitution toward consent, such as the opening line “We the People.”

Divine Right, by contrast, holds that rulers derive authority from God, not from the people. Federalism is about how power is shared between national and state governments, not the source of authority. Separation of Powers describes distributing government powers across different branches to prevent tyranny, rather than explaining where authority comes from.