What is popular sovereignty, and how is it reflected in constitutional design?

• A. The government is sovereign over the people.
• B. The states hold all power.
• C. The Supreme Court interprets sovereignty.
• D. The people authorize government and elect its leaders.

Answer: (D)

Popular sovereignty means that ultimate political authority rests with the people. In constitutional design, this is shown by the idea that government derives its legitimacy from the people’s consent and that the people choose who will govern through elections and representation. The Constitution embodies this starting principle with “We the People,” signaling that power flows from citizens, not from a monarch or a distant ruler. Through regular elections, a system of representation, and checks and balances, the people authorize government and set its leaders.

If power were sovereign over the people, or if states held all power, or if sovereignty rested in a court, that would place authority in a single entity rather than in the citizens themselves. The emphasis on the people’s consent and their right to elect leaders is what makes popular sovereignty the foundation of constitutional government.