Authoritarian or tyrannical regimes have little respect for human rights. In such a regime, a “checks and balances system” does not exist that may limit and control the power of the government. Liberal regimes, however, strive to create a democratic, open, and pluralistic society and to manage differing interests in the society like a neutral arbiter. In a liberal regime, the domestic political power is shared among several non-sovereign institutions. For most liberals, the state reflects the concerns and interests of various interest groups (pressure groups) such as the bureaucracy, the military, political parties, and other powerful elites that attempt to improve their own interests in the society. In other words, the liberal state does not mirror the interests of only one elite group or the dominant social class; it rather acts as the fair and impartial mediator between different interest groups. As such, political power is diffused among a range of institutions and a variety of actors in the society. Choice (a) is the correct answer.