What principle underlies the concept of self-government in the U.S. Constitution?

The principle that underlies the concept of self-government in the U.S. Constitution is popular sovereignty. This principle asserts that the authority of the government is created and sustained by the consent of its people, primarily through their elected representatives. It emphasizes that the ultimate power resides with the people, reflecting their will and enabling them to exercise control over their government.

Popular sovereignty is foundational in many aspects of the U.S. political system, including the electoral process where citizens vote for representatives and on significant issues via referendums. This approach was critical to the framers of the Constitution, as they sought to create a government that derived its powers from the people rather than from a monarch or a governing elite.

The other choices represent important aspects of governance but do not directly communicate the foundational principle of self-government. For instance, the divine right of kings contradicts the idea of self-governance by asserting that monarchs derive their authority from God rather than the consent of the governed. Federalism and separation of powers are important structures that support the functioning of government but are framed around the distribution and management of power rather than the source of that power, which is the will of the people.