Understand each of the three parts.
Democratic means that public authority derives from the people and is bound to democratic procedures. Social names a responsibility for social protection and balance. It is a commitment governing the state, not merely a description of kindness.
Federal state describes the structure: Germany consists of the federation and Länder, which perform different constitutional tasks. The answer therefore combines a statement about power, one about social responsibility and one about the state’s organisation.
The other three answers
The wrong answers replace crucial words in the constitutional description.
a communist republic.
Communist is not the description established in Article 20. The constitution names democracy, the social state and federalism.
a capitalist and social monarchy.
Germany is not a monarchy. “Capitalist” also does not replace the constitutional description asked for here.
a social and socialist federal state.
A social state and a socialist state are different concepts. This answer replaces “democratic” with “socialist” and does not match the Basic Law.
A principle does not specify every individual benefit.
The social-state principle does not automatically determine who receives a particular payment in an individual situation. The relevant statutory conditions still apply. Distinguish the constitutional principle from a personal benefit entitlement.
Federalism likewise does not mean that federation and Länder act completely independently. The Basic Law allocates responsibilities and provides for cooperation.
Article 20 · Basic Law ↗Democracy + social responsibility + federation and Länder.
Associate each word with its own question; do not confuse social with socialist.
Three words for this question
- demokratischdemocratic
- Relating to the people’s political self-determination.
- sozialsocial
- Here: directed towards social protection and balance.
- der Bundesstaatfederal state
- A state with constituent states and divided responsibilities.