How does a representative government differ from other forms of government?

A representative government differs from other forms of government primarily in that it allows citizens to elect officials to make decisions and create laws on their behalf, ensuring a degree of accountability and responsiveness to the electorate. This contrasts with authoritarian regimes, where power is concentrated in a single leader or a small group, and direct democracy, where citizens vote on policies directly rather than through elected representatives. The system promotes political participation and protects individual rights, making it distinct from more centralized or autocratic systems.