Read the passage. Gerald lives in a town that has experienced a population boom in recent years. Until last year, all of the town’s major decisions and policies were made at town meetings. All of the town’s residents were invited to these meetings, and every resident was allowed to debate and vote on the decisions that were made. Last year, due to the town’s expanding population, the townspeople voted to end the town meetings and to instead elect town council members who would be responsible for hearing citizens’ concerns and attending regular council meetings. Major decisions and policies for the town are now made only by these elected council members at town council meetings.

Which type of government was in place in Gerald’s town before the town council was established?

a dictatorship
a direct democracy
an absolute monarchy
a representative democracy