A form of government where the ultimate authority to govern is vested with the people is

Answer Details

Democracy is the form of government in which the ultimate authority to govern is vested in the people. The term derives from the Greek words demos (people) and kratos (power or rule), literally meaning "rule by the people."

In a democracy, citizens exercise their sovereign power either directly (direct democracy, where people vote on policies themselves) or through elected representatives (representative or indirect democracy). The legitimacy of government comes from the consent of the governed, expressed primarily through free and fair elections.

The other options describe different systems. An oligarchy is rule by a small, privileged group - power is concentrated among a few individuals, not the general population. An autocracy is rule by a single individual with absolute power, such as a dictator. A republican system refers to a form of government without a monarch, where the head of state is typically a president - while many republics are democratic, the term itself does not inherently mean power rests with the people (some republics can be authoritarian).

The key distinguishing feature of democracy is popular sovereignty - the idea that governmental power ultimately derives from and is accountable to the people.