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Difficulty: MediumDemocracy

In a democratic political system, supreme political power ultimately resides in the citizens, who exercise their collective will through periodic elections to establish, guide, and hold government authority accountable. Which core pillar of democracy does this statement describe?

  1. Popular sovereigntyAnswer
  2. B
    Legal sovereignty
  3. C
    Judicial review
  4. D
    Executive immunity

Answer

Popular sovereignty
Popular sovereignty is the democratic doctrine asserting that government legitimacy and ultimate power derive entirely from the consent and political power of the governed (the citizenry).

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the core concept described in the question stem.
The stem describes the supreme political power held by citizens to choose political leaders and sanction public policies in a democracy.
Identifying the source of ultimate political authority is key to determining the correct democratic principle.
2
Distinguish popular sovereignty from other types of sovereignty and institutional mechanisms.
Popular sovereignty explicitly locates ultimate authority in the citizenry/electorate, whereas legal sovereignty rests with the law-making legislature.
JAMB UTME frequently tests the distinction between the electorate's ultimate political mandate and constitutional/institutional bodies.

Key Concept

Popular Sovereignty in Democracy
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Democracy

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