governed
n. uncountablen. the group of people who are ruled or led by a government. You use this word when talking about the relationship between leaders and the public.
n. the collective body of citizens or subjects under the authority of a state or ruling power. Plural in construction; functions as a collective noun representing the populace in a political context.
A good leader must listen to the needs of the governed.
The legitimacy of any democratic state depends entirely on the consent of the governed.
Political philosophers often debate the exact point at which the governed have a moral right to withdraw their support from a failing administration.
Always preceded by the definite article 'the'; functions as a collective noun referring to the people of a nation.