A form of government with a parliament, or a democratic legislative body, but with a monarch as a formal or ceremonial head of state.

• A. Monarchy
• B. Constitutional monarchy
• C. Absolute monarchy
• D. Single-party government

Answer: (B)

This item tests the idea of a government where there is a democratic, elected legislature and government, but the monarch acts only as a ceremonial head of state. That arrangement is a constitutional monarchy. In a constitutional monarchy, the monarch’s duties are largely symbolic, and actual political power rests with elected representatives and a prime minister or equivalent who governs within a constitution or legal framework. The monarch may carry out ceremonial duties and represent the country, but they do not influence policy.

If you’re thinking about alternatives, an absolute monarchy would involve real political power held by the monarch, with little or no democratic constraint, which isn’t described here. A single-party government emphasizes control by a single political party rather than the monarch’s ceremonial role, so it also doesn’t fit the described setup.