Which philosophy argues that a government's legitimacy comes from the consent of the governed?

• A. Social Contract Theory
• B. Absolute Monarchy
• C. Utilitarianism
• D. Federalism

Answer: (A)

The main idea is that a government gets its authority from the consent of the people it governs. Social Contract Theory argues that individuals agree, either explicitly or implicitly, to form a society and to live under laws in exchange for protection, order, and a functioning government. Because the power of the government rests on this collective agreement, its legitimacy comes from the people agreeing to be governed. If the government fails to protect rights or acts against the people’s interests, citizens can reasonably seek changes, reform, or a new governing arrangement, since the authority was granted by the governed in the first place. This idea influenced Enlightenment thinking and helped shape later American political thought and constitutional principles.

Absolute monarchy stands on authority derived from divine right or hereditary rule, not from the consent of the governed. Utilitarianism centers on producing the greatest good for the greatest number without specifying how political authority is legitimized. Federalism describes how power is divided between national and state governments, rather than explaining where political legitimacy originates.