Which principle states that government power is limited by law?

• A. Direct Democracy
• B. Limited Government
• C. Theocracy
• D. Monarchy

Answer: (B)

The concept being tested is the idea that government power is limited by law, often described as Limited Government or the rule of law. This means that the people who run the government and the laws they pass must operate within a constitutional framework and cannot act outside or above those laws. It’s why constitutions, like the U.S. Constitution, set up limits on what government can do, outline powers to different branches, and protect individual rights. Over time, this idea grew from earlier documents such as the Magna Carta and the English Bill of Rights, which introduced the notion that rulers are not above the law.

Direct democracy is about citizens voting directly on laws, which isn’t about governing within legal limits. A theocracy is rule by religious authorities, not about legal limits on government power. A monarchy refers to rule by a king or queen and doesn’t inherently specify laws constraining government; a monarchy can be absolute or constitutional, but the key idea in this question is the government being bound by law, which is the essence of Limited Government.