Which philosopher's view is associated with the idea of consent of the governed?

• A. Hobbes
• B. Rousseau
• C. Locke
• D. Montesquieu

Answer: (C)

The main idea being tested is that political legitimacy comes from the consent of the people who are governed, and that government exists to protect people’s rights rather than rule arbitrarily. John Locke is the philosopher most closely associated with this view. He argues that individuals enter into a social compact to form a government specifically to safeguard natural rights—life, liberty, and property. Because the government’s authority comes from the consent of those it governs, its power is legitimate only as long as it protects those rights. If the government fails or abuses those rights, the people retain the right to withdraw their consent and establish a different government. This emphasis on consent as the source of political legitimacy and the right of the people to reassess or replace the government is what makes Locke the best fit.

Hobbes also uses a social contract, but his focus is on surrendering rights to a strong sovereign to escape the state of nature, not on consent as a conditional trust to protect rights. Rousseau emphasizes the general will and popular sovereignty in a different light, while Montesquieu centers on separating powers to prevent tyranny rather than on consent itself. Hence, the idea of consent of the governed aligns most directly with Locke.