HISET Social Studies Practice 2025 - Free HISET Social Studies Practice Questions and Study Guide

A dictatorship is primarily defined by the concentration of power in the hands of a single individual or a small group. In such a system, the leader or ruling party exerts significant control over the state, often without the input or consent of the governed. This centralized authority typically allows the dictator to make unilateral decisions regarding governance, law, and policy, bypassing democratic processes and institutions.

The other characteristics presented in the options illustrate different forms of governance. In democratic systems, power is distributed among citizens, often through elections and representation. Consent of the governed is a fundamental principle of democracy, meaning that authority is granted by the people. Additionally, a constitution serves to outline the limits of power and protect individual rights, which is contrary to the unrestricted authority typically found in a dictatorship. Therefore, the defining feature of a dictatorship is the concentration of power in a single leader or group, making the correct response focus on that centralization.