Which statement describes a unitary system of government?

Which statement describes a unitary system of government?

• A. Powers are divided between national and state governments.
• B. A central body retains supreme power.
• C. States retain sovereignty and create a weak central government.
• D. Local governments hold ultimate authority.

Answer: (B)

In a unitary system, the central government holds the final, supreme authority. Local and regional governments exist, but their power comes from the national government and the central authority can change or even abolish those subnational powers as needed. That’s why the statement saying a central body retains supreme power best captures what a unitary system is. Powers divided between national and state governments describe a federal system, where both levels have substantial, constitutionally protected authority. States retain their own powers and are not simply creatures of a single central government. A scenario where states retain sovereignty and create a weak central government describes a confederation, where the central authority is weak and the member states hold most power. If local governments hold ultimate authority, that would imply local sovereignty rather than a unitary structure, which isn’t how unitary systems are organized.

In a unitary system, the central government holds the final, supreme authority. Local and regional governments exist, but their power comes from the national government and the central authority can change or even abolish those subnational powers as needed. That’s why the statement saying a central body retains supreme power best captures what a unitary system is.

Powers divided between national and state governments describe a federal system, where both levels have substantial, constitutionally protected authority. States retain their own powers and are not simply creatures of a single central government. A scenario where states retain sovereignty and create a weak central government describes a confederation, where the central authority is weak and the member states hold most power. If local governments hold ultimate authority, that would imply local sovereignty rather than a unitary structure, which isn’t how unitary systems are organized.