Which concept describes government authority derived from the consent of the governed?

Which concept describes government authority derived from the consent of the governed?

• A. Divine right of kings
• B. Natural law
• C. Consent of the governed
• D. Autocracy

Answer: (C)

Authority grounded in the consent of the governed means rulers obtain legitimacy only with the people’s approval, usually expressed through laws, elections, or a constitution. This idea comes from social contract thinking in the Enlightenment, where philosophers argued that governments gain authority because the people allow it and can withdraw that approval if they are mistreated. It contrasts with the divine right of kings, which holds that rulers derive their power from God rather than from the people. It also differs from autocracy, where control rests in one person or a small group without broad consent. Natural law, meanwhile, refers to universal moral principles that people recognize, not a claim about who may rule. Emphasizing consent helps explain the legitimacy of constitutional democracies and why governments can be reformed or overthrown if they fail to secure the governed’s approval.

Authority grounded in the consent of the governed means rulers obtain legitimacy only with the people’s approval, usually expressed through laws, elections, or a constitution. This idea comes from social contract thinking in the Enlightenment, where philosophers argued that governments gain authority because the people allow it and can withdraw that approval if they are mistreated. It contrasts with the divine right of kings, which holds that rulers derive their power from God rather than from the people. It also differs from autocracy, where control rests in one person or a small group without broad consent. Natural law, meanwhile, refers to universal moral principles that people recognize, not a claim about who may rule. Emphasizing consent helps explain the legitimacy of constitutional democracies and why governments can be reformed or overthrown if they fail to secure the governed’s approval.