Final answer:
The U.S. operates under a representative democracy (republic) where citizens elect leaders to govern on their behalf, while Saudi Arabia is a theocracy with a ruling monarch, blending oligarchic elements with religious governance.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct answer to the question 'The U.S. government and the government in Saudi Arabia are best described as which forms of government?' is c) Representative Democracy (Republic); Theocracies.
In the United States, the form of government practiced is a representative democracy, also known as a republic. This means that political power is in the hands of the people, who elect representatives to make decisions and enact laws on their behalf. The free will of the majority is typically favored in such democratic systems.
Comparatively, Saudi Arabia is characterized by a theocratic government, where the ruling monarch also fulfills a religious role, and the laws are heavily based on Islamic principles. An absolute monarch, whose powers are not restricted by laws or a constitution, governs the country, and the government can be seen as combining oligarchic elements with its theocracy.