Question

read the passage and answer the following question.
\in so extensive a republic, the great officers of government would soon become above the control of the people, and abuse their power to the purpose of aggrandizing themselves, and oppressing them. the trust committed to the executive offices, in a country of the extent of the united states, must be various and of magnitude.\
-brutus no. 1
based on the text, which of the following statements would the author most likely agree with?
choose 1 answer.
a citizens cannot hold distant elected representatives accountable for their actions
b the united states is not large enough to require executive officers
c citizens should trust their elected representatives to act properly without supervision
d government officers will oppress citizens no matter the size of the republic

Explanation:

The passage from Brutus No. 1 argues that in a large republic, government officials will escape people's control, abuse power, and oppress citizens. Option A aligns with this: if officials are beyond people's control, citizens can't hold distant representatives accountable. Option B contradicts the text, which notes the US needs significant executive offices. Option C is opposite, as the author warns against unaccountable officials, not trusting them without supervision. Option D is wrong because the argument is specific to large republics, not all sizes.

Answer:

A. Citizens cannot hold distant elected representatives accountable for their actions