Concept:Democracy is a system of government in which the people hold ultimate power and are involved in public decision-making.
Explanation:In a democratic government, authority comes from the citizens through free and fair elections.
Citizen participation is the active engagement of the people in political processes and governance.
It includes voting, contesting elections, joining civic groups, attending public meetings, and peaceful expression of opinions.
This participation ensures that leaders remain accountable to the people and that government policies reflect the public interest.
The other options contradict democratic principles.
Centralized decision-making concentrates power in a few hands rather than the people.
Media censorship blocks the free flow of information and hinders informed participation.
Authoritarianism removes the citizens from the process of governance entirely.
Therefore, among the listed choices, the fundamental principle of democratic governance is citizen participation.
Answer:C. Citizen Participation.