What is commonly referred to as the association of the government and the governed?

Step 1: Analyze the question The question asks which term describes the association of the government and the governed. In other words, it asks for the political entity made up of both the rulers and the people they rule.

Step 2: Explain the concepts

• State: A political community with a defined territory, a permanent population, a government, and sovereignty. The population (the governed) and the government (the rulers) together make up the state.
• Confederation: A loose union of independent states, where the central authority is weak and the member states keep their sovereignty (for example, ECOWAS-style arrangements or the early United States under the Articles of Confederation).
• Federation: A system of government in which power is constitutionally shared between a central government and regional governments (for example, Nigeria, with federal, state and local governments).
• Monarchy: A system of government in which power is held by one person, such as a king or queen, usually by heredity.

Step 3: Work through the options

• A. Confederation is a union of states, not the government-and-governed association. ✗
• B. State is the association of the government and the governed, together with territory and sovereignty. ✓
• C. Federation is a form of government structure, not the general association of rulers and ruled. ✗
• D. Monarchy is a type of rule by one person. ✗

Step 4: Answer The correct answer is B. State.

Tip: Remember the four elements of a state with the phrase "PGTS": Population, Government, Territory, Sovereignty. When a question talks about the people and the government together, think "state." Terms like federation, confederation and monarchy describe how power is organised, not the basic association itself.