Which describes a federal government?

• A. The national government shares power with states, with national supremacy.
• B. States hold all authority.
• C. The central government has no power.
• D. There is no central authority.

Answer: (D)

A federal government divides power between a central (national) authority and regional (state) governments. In this system, the national government handles affairs that affect the country as a whole, while states retain authority over local matters. There is also a principle that federal law takes precedence in its areas of authority, establishing national supremacy within those domains. This contrasts with descriptions where states hold all authority, where the central government has no power, or where there is no central authority at all. The idea of power shared between a central government and states, with national supremacy in its constitutional scope, best fits a federal system.