In the following one word substitution question, choose the alternative that best replaces the phrase "a government by the military class", that is, a political system in which the armed forces directly rule the state.

Introduction / Context:
This question examines your grasp of specialised political science vocabulary through one word substitutions. The phrase "a government by the military class" refers to a system where political power is held directly by members of the armed forces rather than by civilians. Recognising the correct technical term is important for both general knowledge and exam based political science questions.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The phrase to be replaced is "a government by the military class".
• Four technical terms ending in "-cracy" (rule) are given as options.
• Each term describes a different type of political rule.
• Your task is to identify the one that explicitly refers to military rule.

Concept / Approach:
The correct term is "stratocracy". The root "stratos" in Greek refers to an army, and "-cracy" means rule or government. Therefore, "stratocracy" is literally rule by the army or military. By contrast, "kratocracy" refers to rule by the strong or by force in general, "pantisocracy" to an ideal government where all have equal power, and "mobocracy" to rule by the mob or an unorganised crowd. Only "stratocracy" directly denotes a government run by the military class.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recognise that all options describe forms of government because they end with "-cracy". Step 2: Focus on the prefix that shows who holds power in each term. Step 3: Recall that "stratos" is Greek for army or military, leading to "stratocracy". Step 4: Match the phrase "government by the military class" with this meaning. Step 5: Exclude other options that refer to power of the strong, the mob, or universal equal rule, which do not specifically indicate military government.

Verification / Alternative check:
You can verify by comparing the words with more familiar political terms. For example, "democracy" means rule by the people, "aristocracy" means rule by the nobility, and "bureaucracy" means rule by officials or bureaus. In the same pattern, "stratocracy" is rule by the stratos, that is, the army. None of the other options carry the same clear reference to the military. This consistent pattern supports the selection of Option C as the accurate one word substitution.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Option A, "Kratocracy", signifies rule by the strong or by force, which is more general and not limited to the military class.
• Option B, "Pantisocracy", denotes an ideal system where all individuals share equal rule, a philosophical concept, not specifically military rule.
• Option D, "Mobocracy", refers to government by the mob or an unorganised crowd, often in a chaotic manner.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes select terms based purely on sound rather than meaning, especially when several unfamiliar Greek roots are involved. Another tendency is to confuse "kratocracy" with military rule because of its association with power and strength. To avoid these errors, it is helpful to systematically study common political science prefixes and match them with their meanings. This will make it easier to decode unfamiliar but related terms in exams.

Final Answer:
The correct one word substitution for "a government by the military class" is Stratocracy, so Option C is correct.