What is the system called where people elect officials to make laws and conduct government?

The system where people elect officials to make laws and conduct government is known as a representative government. In this framework, citizens have the opportunity to choose their representatives through elections. These elected officials are then responsible for making decisions on behalf of the people, enacting laws, and conducting the operations of government. This system allows for a significant degree of public participation in governance, especially in larger societies where direct democracy may not be feasible.

Patrons of a representative government believe it strikes a balance between the need for an efficient decision-making process and the principle of popular sovereignty, where the government derives its authority from the consent of the governed. This structure enables elected representatives to be accountable to the voters, ensuring that the government reflects the will of the people. In contrast, the other options refer to different forms of governance: democracy broadly encompasses various systems of government that may include both direct and representative forms; autocracy is characterized by a single ruler maintaining absolute power without significant input from the populace; and a referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is invited to vote on a particular proposal, highlighting the distinction between direct public involvement and representative governance.